Euthanasia: Switzerland

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Attorney-General what reports he has received on the number of UK residents who have been assisted to die in Switzerland since the publication of the Director of Public Prosecutions' interim policy on the prosecution of offences assisted suicide; and how many of such cases have been referred to the Crown Prosecution Service for investigation.

Dominic Grieve: I have not received any direct reports on the number of UK residents who have been assisted to die in Switzerland since the interim policy for prosecutors in respect of cases of assisted suicide was issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on 23 September 2009.
	The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has advised that their central records indicate that four cases involving UK residents who have been assisted to die in Switzerland have been referred to the CPS since September 2009. This number includes both those cases that are ongoing and in which decisions on prosecution have been taken.
	Following a public consultation exercise, the DPP amended the interim policy and published a revised version on 25 February 2010.

Task Force on Strengthening Economic Governance in EU

William Cash: To ask the Prime Minister what negotiating position he intends to adopt on the conclusion of the Task Force on Strengthening Economic Governance in EU, presented to the European Council and dated 21 October 2010, that endorsement by the Council of the recommendations in the report will contribute to strengthening economic governance in the EU and the euro are and can be implemented within the existing treaties; and if he will place immediately in the Library a copy of  (a) the Taskforce Report and  (b) the Chancellor of the Exchequer's submission to the Taskforce made on 9 July 2010; and if he will make a statement.

David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to my statement today and to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr Hoban) on 27 October 2010,  Official Report, column 318.

Immigration Cap: Science and Industry

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has received on the likely effect of her proposed immigration cap on science and industry.

Theresa May: Our recent consultation on immigration system fully involved scientific organisations. They have underlined the importance of being able to recruit the best scientists from around the world. I am aware of the case of the Beatson Institute in my hon. Friend's constituency and can assure her that the UK Border Agency is looking closely at this and related cases.

Asylum: Deportation

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children of asylum seekers awaiting deportation were in detention on the latest date for which figures are available.

Damian Green: National Statistics on children detained solely under Immigration Act powers are published quarterly in the Control of Immigration: Quarterly Statistical Summary, United Kingdom. The Statistical Summary for the second quarter of 2010, the most recent available, coupled with local management information indicates that one child of an asylum seeking family was detained with its family awaiting removal as at 30 June 2010.
	This figure is based on management information and is not subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics. It is provisional and may be subject to change.
	Information on people detained solely under Immigration Act powers as at 30 September will be available on 25 November in the Control of Immigration:
	Quarterly Statistical Summary, United Kingdom, July-September 2010 on the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
	The Government have made clear their commitment to end the detention of children and continues to work with its corporate partners to find an alternative that protects the welfare of children, without undermining UK immigration laws.

Departmental Consultants

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) consultants and  (b) contractors were employed by or on behalf of the UK Border Agency to work on the e-Borders programme in each of the last five years.

Damian Green: The following table provides the numbers of consultants and independent contractors employed by the e-Borders Programme since 2005. Separate figures are not held for contractors and consultants. The current figure as at 28 October 2010 is 39.
	
		
			   Consultancy headcount 
			 2005-06 72 
			 2006-07 103 
			 2007-08 81 
			 2008-09 53 
			 2009-10 60

Departmental Pay

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how much was paid to officials in his Department and its non-departmental public bodies in bonuses and other payments in addition to salary in each year since its inception; how many officials received such payments; and what the monetary values was of the largest 20 payments made in each such year;
	(2)  what allowances and payments in addition to salary were available to officials in his Department and its non-departmental public bodies in each year since its inception; and what the monetary value was of payments and allowances of each type in each such year.

Kenneth Clarke: Within the Ministry of Justice, payments of salary, non consolidated performance pay and other allowances depend on the contractual terms that an individual is employed on. The information provided as follows covers a range of contractual terms.
	 Senior Civil Service
	Members of the Senior Civil Service (SCS) are employed on common terms across the Ministry. Details of the non-salary elements of their remuneration are set out in the Senior Salaries Review Body Report.
	http://www.ome.uk.com/Senior_Salaries_Review_Body.aspx
	Since the establishment of the Ministry, payments of non-consolidated performance pay to members of the SCS are shown in the following tables:
	
		
			  Paid in calendar year  Staff receiving payments  Average payment (£)  Total amount  awarded (£)  Maximum  payment (£)  Largest  20 payments (£) 
			 2007(1) 116 7,469 866,500 22,500 205,500 
			 2008 159 10,364 1,648,000 25,000 341,000 
			 2009 162 8,488 1,375,000 15,000 270,000 
			 2010 168 5,822 949,000 10,000 200,000 
			   
			 (1) Refers only to those Ministry members formerly in the Department of Constitutional Affairs. 
		
	
	Performance payments are awarded as part of the annual pay award process to members of the SCS whose performance has exceeded their agreed delivery objectives during the previous performance year.
	Non SCS employees within the Ministry are eligible to non-consolidated payments and occupational allowances. Payments of non-consolidated performance pay to staff may be either:
	'In Year' non-consolidated performance pay, awards of which are made during the performance year to staff who have made exceptional contributions on specific occasions.
	'End of Year' non-consolidated performance pay, awarded as part of the annual pay award to staff who have exceeded their performance objectives during the previous performance year.
	 The Ministry of Justice (excluding NOMS)
	The following table provides information on 'In Year' non-consolidated performance payments.
	
		
			  Paid in financial year  Staff receiving payments( 1)  Average payment (£)  Total amount  awarded (£)  Largest payment (£)  Value of largest  20 payments (£) 
			 2007-08 5,327 440 2,348,520 4,000 42,000.00 
			 2008-09 6,135 418 2,566,120 5,675 77,225.00 
			 2009-10 5,673 269 1,483,442 8,000 91,448.00 
			 (1) Includes those working in HM Court Service, Tribunals Service, Office of the Public Guardian and those Non Departmental Public Bodies whose pay terms are aligned with the Ministry. 
		
	
	The following table provides information on 'Year End' non-consolidated performance payments.
	
		
			  Paid in financial year  Staff receiving payments  Average payment (£)  Total amount awarded (£)  Largest payment (£) 
			 2007-08 2,419 400 967,000 400 
			 2008-09 1,608 1,200 1,929,600 1,200 
			 2009-10 1,889 1,200 2,226,800 1,200 
			  Note: The value of the 'Year end' payment of non consolidated performance pay is set as part of the pay award and is an equal amount for all staff who receive it. 
		
	
	Payments of occupational allowances to staff are made in accordance with the Ministry's Pay Policy Manual. These allowances may be based on the requirement of a job role (e.g. qualification) or reflect a recognised market premium. An allowance also may be paid to reflect the pattern of working (e.g. on-call payments) and where an individual performs duties at a higher level than their own substantive grade. Central records on the total number of staff receiving allowances is not held. Nor is the value of the top 20 largest payments paid to individuals. Information on the total amount paid in each year since 2007 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   £ 
			 2007-08 8,048,082 
			 2008-09 10,945,380 
			 2009-10 9,458,872 
		
	
	Details of total amounts paid in overtime paid to staff in the Ministry is shown in the following table. Records on the number of individual employees paid overtime or the highest 20 payments are not held centrally.
	
		
			   £ 
			 2007-08 6,788,860 
			 2008-09 6,881,223 
			 2009-10 6,759,306 
		
	
	 National Offender Management Service (NOMS)
	Information on the number of staff in grades below the SCS receiving 'In Year' non-consolidated performance payments and the total amount paid in the 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 financial years across HM Prison Service and National Offender Management Service Headquarters is contained in the following table.
	
		
			  Paid in financial year  Number of staff receiving a payment  Total amount paid( 1)  (£)  Value of the largest 20 payments (£) 
			 2007-08 3,559 1,314,358 66,500 
			 2008-09 3,411 2,110,012 70,284 
			 2009-10 2,503 1,609,340 87,454 
			 (1) Information has been adjusted to exclude payments that are not Special Bonus payments. The figures presented here will therefore differ from previously published totals. The nature of the excluded payments is not known. 
		
	
	Details for payments of 'Year End' non-consolidated performance pay in the 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 financial years for staff below SCS employed across HM Prison Service and the National Offender Management Service Headquarters are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Paid in financial year  Number of staff receiving a payment  Total amount paid (£)  Value of largest 20 payments (£) 
			 2007-08 4,817 1,096,766 14,384 
			 2008-09 5,332 1,325,952 16,060 
			 2009-10 5,256 1,426,330 16,420 
			 2010-11 5,950 1,629,784 16,580 
			  Note: The value of the 'Year End' payment of non consolidated performance pay is set as part of the pay award and is standard percentage of salary for all staff who receive it. 
		
	
	The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) does hold information on allowances and payments in addition to salary but not in the detail requested. However, the sum of all payments in addition to standard salary payments for NOMS staff for 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 is as shown in the following table:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2007-08(1) 109,586,243 
			 2008-09(2) 122,900,162 
			 2009-10 120,272,758 
			 (1) The 2007-08 data is prior to the formation of the NOMS agency. (2) The data for 2008-09 is incomplete as it does not include values before September 2008 for circa 1,000 staff who transferred from HM Prison Service into NOMS that month. 
		
	
	Details of total amounts paid in overtime paid to staff in the NOMS Agency is shown in the following table. Records on the number of individual employees paid overtime or the highest 20 payments are not held centrally.
	
		
			   £ 
			 2007-08 10,260,954 
			 2008-09 10,814,950 
			 2009-10 10,442,968 
		
	
	 Information Commissioner' s Office
	The Office of the Information Commissioner is a non Departmental Public Body of the Ministry and employs staff on separate contractual terms. In addition to basic salary, employees may be eligible for non-consolidated performance pay depending on their performance measured over the performance year. These arrangements have been in place since 2008.
	
		
			  Paid in financial year  Amount paid (£)  Number of staff receiving award  Total amount paid (£) 
			 2008-09 250 46 (1)10,500 
			 2009-10 250 64 (1)15,600 
			 (1) The value of the 'Year end' payment of non consolidated performance pay is set as part of the pay award. The amount is pro-rated for reduced hours staff. 
		
	
	Allowances are paid to staff working in Office of the Information Commissioner to recognise specific skills and proficiencies or requirements of the role. The maximum skills/proficiency allowance is £519 and other allowances £240. Both allowances have been paid to fewer than 10 individuals in any year since 2007.
	Information on total payments of overtime to staff in since 2007 are shown in the following table. Records on the number of individual employees paid overtime or the highest 20 payments are not held centrally.
	
		
			   £ 
			 2007-08 102,188 
			 2008-09 97,955 
			 2009-10 87,955

National Offender Management Service: Public Expenditure

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the cost to the public purse was of the National Offender Management Service head office and regional offices in each financial year since 2004-05;
	(2)  what the cost to the public purse was of the Director of Offender Management regional organisations in the financial year 2009-10.

Crispin Blunt: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) Agency was established from April 2008. There are therefore no comparable figures for the financial years 2004-05 to 2007-08.
	The NOMS Agency accounts for 2009-10 show, on a comparable basis, figures for both 2008-09 and 2009-10 for HQ and Policy as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2008-09 151 
			 2009-10 255 
		
	
	However, of the year on year difference, £113 million is due to the accounting treatment on the impairment of assets.
	The 2008-09 expenditure on regional offices was £57 million.
	The 2009-10 expenditure for the Directors of Offender Management regional organisations was £48 million.

Prisons: Population

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what steps he plans to take to reduce the prison population by 3,000 by 2014.
	(2)  whether he plans to reduce the numbers of suspects held on remand.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice will publish a Green Paper later this year, setting out plans to reform sentencing and rehabilitate offenders more effectively. The Green Paper will set out our approach to reducing the prison population, including our approach to the use of remand.

Anti-Semitism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent representations the cross-Government working group to tackle anti-Semitism has received from the Jewish community; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Stunell: The cross-Government working group to tackle anti-Semitism is made up of officials from across Government and senior representatives of the Jewish Community and therefore is in regular receipt of representations from the Jewish community on issues of concern.

Audit Commission

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the purpose was of the Audit Commission's payment of £1,434 to SPA Landscaping in 2009-10; and what works were undertaken.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the Chief Executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member direct.
	 Letter from Peter Wilkinson, dated 1 November 2010:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply on behalf of the Chief Executive who is currently on annual leave.
	SPA Landscaping provided grounds maintenance services at Audit Commission offices at Littlemoor House in Eckington. The payment of £1,434 was in respect of services provided in accordance with the specification and contract for grounds maintenance at that site.
	A copy of this letter will appear in Hansard.

Audit Commission

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) purpose,  (b) date and  (c) occasion was in respect of which the Audit Commission paid £1,897 to St Martin-in-the-Fields in 2009-10.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member direct.
	 Letter from Andy McKeon, dated 1 November 2010:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply on behalf of the Chief Executive who is currently on annual leave.
	St Martin-in-the-Fields was used as a venue for a joint media launch of the Oneplace website and the publication of the first set of Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) reports. It took place on 7 December 2009. This was a joint event with the CAA partner inspectorates (Ofsted, Care Quality Commission, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, HM Inspectorate of Prisons and HM inspectorate of Probation) and was attended by members of the national and trade media.
	A copy of this letter will appear in Hansard.

Audit Commission

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what the  (a) purpose,  (b) date and  (c) occasion was in respect of which the Audit Commission paid £3,650 to the Science Museum in 2009-10;
	(2)  what the  (a) purpose,  (b) date and  (c) occasion was in respect of which the Audit Commission paid £1,545 to Digby Trout Restaurants Ltd in the category of learning and development services in 2009-10.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member direct.
	 Letter from Peter Wilkinson, dated 1 November 2010:
	Your Parliamentary Questions have been passed to me to reply on behalf of the Chief Executive who is currently on annual leave.
	The questions relate to the same event so I am responding to them in the same letter.
	In Spring 2009, the Audit Commission's Local Government and Assessment Directorate underwent a restructure as it took on responsibility for the new Comprehensive Area Assessment. A one day core team workshop took place on 12 May 2009 as part of the preparation for this major national initiative.
	Workshop facilities at the Science Museum provided confidential discussion space and adjoining breakout rooms for working sessions. The figure quoted covered the cost of the venue and equipment hire.
	Digby Trout Restaurants Ltd are the venue's in-house caterers and the payment was the total cost of catering at the basic day delegate catering rate.
	A copy of this letter will appear in  Hansard.

Audit Commission

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) purpose,  (b) date and  (c) occasion was in respect of which the Audit Commission paid £15,025 to Steps Drama Learning Development in 2009-10.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member direct.
	 Letter from Peter Wilkinson, dated 1 November 2010:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply on behalf of the Chief Executive who is currently on annual leave.
	Steps Drama Learning Development are training specialists who work with a wide variety of clients in the public and private sectors, including HSBC, British Airways and the NHS. The Commission worked with Steps on a number of occasions in 2009-10.
	(1) Steps ran four workshops on 15 & 17 July and 10 & 20 August for the Human Resources department. This was a programme developed to help staff understand and address areas of concern identified in our 2009 employee survey.
	(2) Steps contributed to three development centres for potential Principal Auditors in February and March 2010. Steps staff developed realistic scenarios to test the auditors' client relationship skills.
	A copy of this letter will appear in Hansard.

Audit Commission: Conflict Management Plus

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) purpose,  (b) date and  (c) occasion was for which the Audit Commission incurred expenditure of £3,851 on Conflict Management Plus in 2008-09.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member direct.
	 Letter from Andy McKeon, dated 1 November 2010:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply on behalf of the Chief Executive who is currently on annual leave.
	In September 2008, following a competitive tender, the Commission engaged Conflict Management Plus to assist us in developing our managers to resolve staff disputes and difficulties. Conflict Management Plus attended a one day review workshop and subsequently advised us on the best approach for managers.
	A copy of this fetter will appear in Hansard.

Audit Commission: Connaught

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) purpose,  (b) date and  (c) occasion was for which the Audit Commission incurred expenditure of £19,545 on the New Connaught Rooms in 2008-09.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to my hon. Friend direct.
	 Letter from Andy McKeon, dated 1 November 2010:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply on behalf of the Chief Executive who is currently on annual leave.
	The Audit Commission incurred this expenditure for two events in 2008-09.
	30 September 2008-A senior stakeholder briefing, bringing together local authorities and PCTs to discuss the new framework for Comprehensive Area Assessment.
	1 December 2008-An internal staff briefing event to discuss restructuring. This venue was used to accommodate the large number of staff in attendance. The Commission does not have offices big enough to facilitate this kind of event.
	A copy of this letter will appear in Hansard.

Audit Commission: Consultants

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what programmes or projects undertaken by the Audit Commission strategic consultancy was provided by  (a) Deloitte,  (b) GFK NOP Limited,  (c) Jodi Berg,  (d) Lawson Wright Ltd,  (e) OPM - London,  (f) PA Consulting Services and  (g) Ville and Company in 2009-10.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the Chief Executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member direct.
	 Letter from Peter Wilkinson, dated 1 November 2010:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply on behalf of the Chief Executive who is currently on annual leave.
	You asked for Information on consultancy work provided by a number of firms in 2009-10. These details are as follows:
	 (a) Deloitte LLP
	Deloitte provided expert knowledge on treasury management for the review of local authority treasury management, Risk and Return: English Local Authorities and Icelandic Banks, published in March 2009.
	 (b) GFK NOP Ltd
	GFK NOP is a leading market research organisation, it was appointed to undertake an employee attitude survey in January 2009.
	 (c) Jodi Berg
	Jodi Berg, the independent Complaints Reviewer, provides the third stage of the Audit Commission's complaints process. Because the Commission does not come under the remit of an Ombudsman, the Commission's Board, which is responsible for the complaints process, decided that an independent stage was necessary.
	Further information on the full complaints process is published on the Commission's website at:
	http://www.audit-commission.gov.uk/aboutus/contactus/complaints/pages/default.aspx
	and information on the services provided by the ICR on her website at:
	http://www.icrev.org.uk
	 (d) Lawson Wright Ltd
	Lawson Wright Ltd is an HR consultancy company. It provided a confidential helpline service to staff.
	 (e) OPM - London
	OPM carried out work assessing the costs to local authorities of meeting the requirements of the Comprehensive Performance Assessment and Comprehensive Area Assessment processes. Its report was published in March 2010.
	 (f) PA Consulting Services
	PA Consulting Services was engaged to support the Commission's Continuous Improvement and Innovation Programme. This was designed to deliver efficiency savings. PA Consulting provided specialist skills and support.
	 (g) Ville and Company
	Ville & Company provided a briefing on decision-making on the allocation of teaching resources by maintained schools. This was incorporated in Valuable Lessons, published in June 2009.
	Ville and Company also scoped a potential study of local authorities' spending on energy, as part of the Commission's process for selecting its study programme.
	Following the Commission's decision to end Use of Resources assessments, Ville local audit work could best help PCTs improve value for money.
	A copy of this letter will appear in Hansard.

Audit Commission: Exeter Golf and Country Club

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) purpose,  (b) date and  (c) occasion was for which the Audit Commission incurred expenditure on (i) Exeter Golf and Country Club, (ii) Malmaison Hotel, (iii) Hotel du Vin and Bistro, (iv) The Royal Horseguards and (v) South West Lakes in 2008-09.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the Chief Executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member direct.
	 Letter from Andy McKeon, dated 1 November 2010:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply on behalf of the Chief Executive who is currently on annual leave.
	The Audit Commission incurred expenditure in 2008-09 as follows:
	(a) Exeter Golf and Country Club - This venue was used to hold a stakeholder briefing for Finance Directors from the Local Government and Health sectors. The event took place on 4/5 February 2009 and was part of the Final Accounts Local Government and NHS Conference.
	(b) Malmaison Hotel - This venue was used for a staff training event held over a three day period, from 16-18 July 2008. The Commission does not have offices big enough to facilitate this kind of event.
	(c) Hotel du Vin and Bistro - The Commission incurred this expenditure for two events. We hosted the Housing Excellence Awards Lunch at Hotel du Vin and Bistro on 17 June 2008 that was held during the Chartered Institute of Housing Conference. We also held a strategic studies development event at the Malmaison in Birmingham on 16 June 2008, which at the time was part of the Hotel du Vin group.
	(d) The Royal Horseguards - The Audit Commission held Parliamentary Dinners for MPs from all three main political parties to brief them on our national reports and studies programme and on Comprehensive Area Assessment. It was also an opportunity for MPs to raise with us any areas of concern, or where they felt the Commission could assist. These dinners were held in October/November 2008 and February 2009.
	In July 2008 we hosted a dinner for Chief Executives of Housing Associations to discuss the key changes affecting the housing environment, such the Housing and Regeneration Bill, the state of the housing market and the introduction of short life inspections on housing associations by the Audit Commission.
	In November 2008 we hosted a CAA Cross Inspectorate dinner to discuss the development of the new performance framework for local authorities. We also hosted a seminar of senior representatives from the NHS, the Dept of Health, other national bodies and private sector providers of information to discuss data quality in the NHS and how it could be improved.
	(e) South West Lakes - This venue was used for staff team meetings in November 2008 and January 2009. The Commission does not have offices big enough to facilitate this kind of event.
	A copy of this letter will appear in Hansard.

Audit Commission: Historic Royal Palaces

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) purpose,  (b) date and  (c) occasion was for which the Audit Commission incurred expenditure of £3,450 on Historic Royal Palaces Enterprise in 2008-09.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the Chief Executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member direct.
	 Letter from Andy McKeon, dated 1 November 20120:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me for reply on behalf of the Chief Executive who is currently on annual leave.
	The Audit Commission paid a deposit of 30 per cent on 30 December 2008 (£3,450) to secure the Banqueting House as a venue for the Vil Eurorai Congress. The event took place on 4 October 2010.
	Eurorai is a network of over 70 regional audit bodies in Europe and has been in place for nearly 20 years. It exists to enable practising auditors in different regions and countries to share experiences and learning.
	A congress is held every three years and the Region of the President elect is the host for this event. In 2007, we agreed that we would act as the host and plans have been underway to organise the congress for the last three years. Following the Secretary of State's announcement on 13 August of the Audit Commission's abolition, we considered our position and agreed to go ahead with the congress and fulfil our commitment.
	The congress was fully funded by Eurorai, and the dinner at Banqueting House by a small contribution from the Audit Commission and partner agencies including from the accountancy profession and some private sector audit firms. The Audit Commission's costs were in the region of £5,000.
	A copy of this letter will appear in Hansard.

Audit Commission: London Zoo

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) purpose,  (b) date and  (c) occasion was for which the Audit Commission incurred expenditure of £13,470 on Leith's at London Zoo in 2008-09.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to my hon. Friend direct.
	 Letter from Andy McKeon, dated 1 November 2010:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply on behalf of the Chief Executive who is currently on annual leave.
	The Audit Commission did not incur expenditure of this amount at Leith's at London Zoo.
	The Audit Commission did make a payment of this amount to Leith's at The British Library. The occasion was a two-day Appointed Auditors Conference held on 29/30 April 2009.
	A copy of this letter will appear in Hansard.

Audit Commission: Marketing

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what marketing projects were undertaken for the Audit Commission by  (a) Grant Riches,  (b) HSAG Design and  (c) Ocean Media Group in 2009-10.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member direct.
	 Letter from Peter Wilkinson, dated 1 November 2010:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply on behalf of the Chief Executive who is currently on annual leave.
	The following marketing projects were undertaken:
	 (a) Grant Riches provided the Commission with additional support to help promote Comprehensive Area Assessment and the associated Oneplace website.
	 (b) HSAG Design helped us develop extensions to our visual identity guidelines. This is a document that prescribes how we produce everything from stationery through to exhibition signs. It provides guidelines on how to use corporate colours and design to comply with good practice on accessibility for partially sighted people.
	 (c) Ocean Media Group runs the Chartered Institute of Housing's (CIH) annual conference. The payment to it was for the Commission's presence at the 2009 CIH conference in Harrogate.
	A copy of this letter will appear in  Hansard.

Audit Commission: Marks' Home and Garden

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) purpose,  (b) date and  (c) occasion was for which the Audit Commission incurred expenditure of £940 on Marks' Home and Garden maintenance services in 2008-09.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member direct.
	 Letter from Andy McKeon, dated 1 November 2010:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply on behalf of the Chief Executive who is currently on annual leave.
	In July 2008, the Audit Commission used Marks' Home and Garden maintenance services to clear the driveway and surrounding area at our Ipswich offices.
	A copy of this letter will appear in Hansard.

Audit Commission: Nineteen Restaurant

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) purpose,  (b) date and (c) occasion was for which the Audit Commission incurred expenditure at (i) Nineteen Restaurant, (ii) L'Oranger Restaurants Ltd, (iii) the London Hilton and (iv) 60 Hope Street in 2008-09.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the Chief Executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member direct.
	 Letter from Andy McKeon, dated 1 November 2010:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply on behalf of the Chief Executive who is currently on annual leave. The Audit Commission incurred expenditure in 2008-09 as follows:
	 Nineteen Restaurant
	The Audit Commission used to allocate funding for social events at Christmas and on this occasion staff in our North Yorkshire Office used this venue. Following a Board decision, this funding was subsequently withdrawn across the Commission from June 2009.
	 L'Oranger Restaurants Ltd
	The Audit Commission hosted a dinner for senior stakeholders at L'Oranger restaurant on 8 December 2008 to discuss the development of the new performance framework for local authorities, Comprehensive Area Assessment. The purpose was to ensure that the design of the new framework took account of the views of senior figures in local government and the dinner formed part of a wider consultation process.
	 The London Hilton
	The Audit Commission's Senior Management Team, which consists of the Chief Executive and Managing Directors, held a strategy meeting at the London Hilton on 10 March 2008. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss the development of CAA following the consultation process with senior stakeholders.
	 60 Hope Street
	The Audit Commission hosted a dinner for senior stakeholders at 60 Hope Street Restaurant on 19 January 2009 to discuss the development of the new performance framework for local authorities, Comprehensive Area Assessment. The purpose was to ensure that the design of the new framework took account of the views of senior figures in local government and the dinner formed part of a wider consultation process.
	A copy of this letter will appear in Hansard.

Audit Commission: Official Hospitality

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much the Audit Commission spent on  (a) hospitality,  (b) hotel accommodation and  (c) communications, marketing and public relations in each of the last three financial years.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member direct.
	 Letter from Peter Wilkinson, dated 1 November 2010:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply on behalf of the Chief Executive who is currently on annual leave.
	a) The Audit Commission spent the following sums on hospitality in each of the last three years. In order to be consistent with data previously provided for the Public Sector Procurement Expenditure Survey we have defined hospitality as the provision of food and beverages at our own premises.
	
		
			   £ 
			 2007-08 211,845 
			 2008-09 229,134 
			 2009-10 289,271 
		
	
	b) The Audit Commission spent the following sums on hotel accommodation in each of the last three years. This includes all expenditure booked through Expotel, which provides access to negotiated government hotel rates, for staff required to work away from their home base and stay overnight. In line with data previously published as part of the Public Sector Procurement Expenditure Survey this excludes expenditure on training and events.
	
		
			   £ 
			 2007-08 1,246,815 
			 2008-09 1,910,944 
			 2009-10 1,614,953 
		
	
	c) The Audit Commission spent the following sums on communications, marketing and public relations in each of the last three years. This excludes staff salaries but includes all other expenditure undertaken by the Communications and Public Reporting function such as the production and publication of audit inspection and study reports, responding to media enquiries, website maintenance, conferences, exhibitions and internal communications.
	
		
			   £ 
			 2007-08 1,547,570 
			 2008-09 1,301,354 
			 2009-10 1,163,643 
		
	
	A copy of this letter will appear in Hansard.

Audit Commission: Oval Events

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) purpose,  (b) date and  (c) occasion of the Audit Commission's expenditure on Oval Events was in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member direct.
	 Letter from Andy McKeon, dated 1 November 2010:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply on behalf of the Chief Executive who is currently on annual leave.
	The purpose of the spending on Oval Events was:
	2008/09-6 one-day training events on non-cricket days
	2009/10-1 one-day training event on a non-cricket day
	The cost of each event was approximately £2,000. The number of attendees ranged from 24 to 32.
	A copy of this letter will appear in  Hansard.

Audit Commission: Press Cuttings

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much the Audit Commission spent on  (a) press cuttings and  (b) opinion research in each of the last three financial years.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member direct.
	 Letter from Andy McKeon, dated 1 November 2010:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply on behalf of the Chief Executive who is currently on annual leave.
	The Audit Commission's press cutting agency is Durrants and we use them for national, regional, local and trade cuttings and for media evaluation. The Commission spent £66,282 in 2007/08; £42,194 in 2008/09; and £52,758 in 2009/10.
	The Commission has spent the following amounts on opinion research: £70,881 in 2007/08; £54,206 in 2008/09; and £73,192 in 2009/10. The Commission has defined opinion research as contact with its stakeholders to elicit views on the Commission as an organisation and on the services it provides.
	A copy of this letter will appear in  Hansard.

Audit Commission: Progressive Resources Ltd

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) purpose,  (b) date and  (c) occasion was for which the Audit Commission incurred expenditure of £6,850 on Progressive Resources Ltd in 2008-09; and what the nature was of the teambuilding events that took place.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member direct.
	 Letter from Peter Wilkinson, dated 1 November 2010:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply on behalf of the Chief Executive who is currently on annual leave.
	In October 2008, we decided to merge two sub-regions, South East and South Central. In doing so we reduced costs and increased productivity through economies of scale. The merger did, however, bring its own major challenges and it was recognised that the integration of the two former teams required substantial change.
	We therefore held an event over two days on 10/11 December 2008, using Progressive Resources Ltd. We had major sessions on audit quality; connecting audit and Comprehensive Area Assessment; and values and expectations. We also included representatives from the accounting firms, who joined us on day two. Around 200 delegates attended the event.
	Progressive Resources Ltd provides corporate team building events to large multi-nationals as well as public sector organisations.
	A copy of this letter will appear in Hansard.

Audit Commission: Smith Institute

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what payments the Audit Commission made to the Smith Institute in each of the last three financial years; and for what purposes and projects.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member direct.
	 Letter from Andy McKeon, dated 1 November 2010:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply on behalf of the Chief Executive who is currently on annual leave.
	The Audit Commission has made one payment of £10,000 to the Smith Institute (in August 2008) during the last three financial years. The payment was sponsorship for a project on the future of public sector regulation.
	The Smith Institute was planning to conduct an expert round table and publish and launch a monograph of essays on the future of public sector regulation. The Smith Institute sought additional sponsorship for the event and publication. However, the project was subsequently cancelled and the Smith Institute agreed to refund £9,250 to the Audit Commission.
	A copy of this letter will appear in Hansard.

Coal: Mining

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of the economic, social and cultural needs of former coalmining areas; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent research his Department has  (a) evaluated,  (b) commissioned and  (c) undertaken on regeneration strategies for former coalmining areas; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Stunell: The Department for Communities and Local Government commissioned a review of coalfields regeneration led by Michael Clapham. The Coalfields Regeneration Review Report was presented to Government in September 2010.
	The review looked at all aspects of coalfields regeneration, including the economic, social and cultural needs of coalfield areas. The review considered data and evidence provided by delivery bodies, including the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, the Homes and Communities Agency, local authorities, Communities and Local Government analysts and other Government Departments. It also considered previous research, particularly the report from the Audit Commission ('A mine of opportunity; local authorities and the regeneration of the English Coalfields (2008)').
	The Review Board also carried out a consultation exercise seeking views from a wide range of bodies on coalfields regeneration, including local authorities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises.
	Government are considering the recommendations made in the report and intend to respond formally in November.
	A full copy of the report, which includes all the data referred to above, is available on the Communities and Local Government website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/regeneration/reviewcoalfieldsregeneration

Emergency Services

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the regional fire and emergency response programme.

Bob Neill: The current estimated cost of the FiReControl project is £423 million, initiated by the last Government.
	The FiReControl project is over-budget and behind schedule. The new Government are committed to ensuring value for money for the taxpayer improving resilience and stopping the forced regionalisation of the fire service.

Fire Services: North East

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the timetable is for the establishment of the regional control centre for the fire service for the North East.

Bob Neill: The control centre in the north-east, at Durham, is fully constructed and fitted out. The Department for Communities and Local Government has activated a key milestone in its contract with the main FiReControl contractor EADS (now branded Cassidian) requiring them to deliver the completed IT system in three control centres by mid-2011. The north-east control centre is one of these. The first Fire and Rescue Services would switch over after this, when they had completed their preparations, including data input, training and the final assurance testing test.
	The FiReControl project, initiated by the last Government, is over-budget and behind schedule. As with all major Government projects it is being reviewed to ensure value for money for the taxpayers. We have been clear that EADS must deliver to time, cost and quality. The new Government are committed to ensuring value for money for the taxpayer, improving resilience and stopping the forced regionalisation of the fire service.

Fire Services: Strikes

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent discussions  (a) he and  (b) his officials have had with the Mayor of London on strike action by London fire crews; what assessment he has made of the adequacy of contingency arrangements in such circumstances; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: As I indicated in my statement to the House on the 26 October, I am in regular contact with the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority. They have reassured me that their contingency arrangements worked during the eight hour strike on the 23 October and will work for any future strikes.
	My Department is also working to ensure that in the event of a major incident, the National Co-ordination and Advisory Framework arrangements, overseen by the chief fire and rescue adviser, will ensure the deployment of any necessary specialist equipment.

Grants: Expenditure

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) purpose and  (b) programme or project of each of the grants given under the LG-Interreg 3A SE DTLR heading was in his published grant expenditure data for 2009-10.

Bob Neill: Details of the 11 projects and 13 payments, which relate to grants paid under the Franco-British INTERREG IIIA programme co-financed by the European regional development fund, are given in the following table:
	
		
			  Supplier  Transaction number  Amount in s terling  (£)  British project r eference  Project t itle  Purpose  Comments 
			 Medway council 2500121396 5,739.00 342 Champion-Championing Community Well-Being-A Common Cross-Border Imperative Enhancing the well-being of citizens in Medway and Grande-Synthe through improvements to their health and community services Revenue costs 
			 Kent county council 2500121399 226,282.00 313 Cross-Channel Greenways Development of environmentally friendly and sustainable travel routes in Kent, Medway and the Nord Department Revenue costs 
			 Brighton and Hove City PCT 2500121411 14,424.00 206 Share the expertise of three health networks for the benefits of cancer patients Steps to harmonise the treatment of cancer patients in Kent, Sussex and Upper Normandy by adopting best practice from each area Revenue costs 
			 Medway council 2500121445 26,822.00 217 Promoting the Mental Health of Young People (12-18 years) Development of strategies to tackle social exclusion among young people in Medway and the Somme Department Revenue costs 
			 Medway council 2500121462 1,500.00 480 Cross-Channel waste and energy management audit at tourist sites Identification of problems of waste generated by growing numbers of visitors to sites in the Baie de Somme and the Medway area Revenue costs 
			 East Sussex CC 2500121443 49,217.00 456 Community Challenge: Take Part, Make a Difference Development of common strategies to improve waste management information and incentives for citizens of the Seine-Maritime Department and East Sussex Revenue costs 
			 Kent county council 2500121465 102,001.00 185 Financing of the Joint Technical Secretariat and logistical costs Support towards four technical assistants based in Kent, Medway, East Sussex and the City of Brighton and Hove to promote the programme and develop new projects Revenue costs 
			 Medway council 2500121503 6,235.00 482 CONMIIXT (CONRAD and MIIXT) Enabling citizens of Medway and Dunkirk to develop further collaboration on shared social cohesion issues Revenue costs 
			 East Sussex CC 2500121499 26,124.00 334 Nature Without Borders: discovering bird life and wetland Creation of two new eco-tourism products exploring the special natural attributes of Kent, East Sussex, and the Seine-Maritime and Somme Departments Revenue costs 
			 East Sussex CC 2500121506 23,915.00 255 Nature Corridors for All-Phase II (Refine, Develop and Sustain) Engaging people with learning difficulties in East Sussex, Brighton and Hove, and the Seine-Maritime Department in shared activities to support protection of the environment and wildlife Revenue costs 
			 East Sussex CC 2500121544 48,426.00 295 Rethinking Rubbish-Tackling our waste problems together Identification of, and proposing solutions to, issues of growing volume of waste in communities in East Sussex and the Seine-Maritime Department Revenue costs 
			 East Sussex CC 2500121548 28,927.00 356 New Opportunities for Sustainable (Social and Environmental) Integration Setting up training opportunities for disabled people and those with special needs, and improving access for them to the countryside and historical sites Revenue costs 
			 East Sussex CC 2500121544 6,955.00 295 Rethinking Rubbish-Tackling our waste problems together Identification of, and proposing solutions to, issues of growing volume of waste in communities in East Sussex and the Seine-Maritime Department Capital costs 
			 East Sussex CC 2500121548 6,690.00 356 New Opportunities for Sustainable (Social and Environmental) Integration Setting up training opportunities for disabled people and those with special needs, and improving access for them to the countryside and historical sites Capital costs

Homelessness

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent estimate he made of the number of  (a) statutory homelessness acceptances and  (b) households assisted with obtaining or retaining private sector accommodation under relief and prevention of homelessness powers.

Grant Shapps: Statutory homelessness data collected include the number of households accepted by local housing authorities as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need, and therefore owed a main homelessness duty (to secure that suitable accommodation is available). These are published by the Department in the quarterly Statistical Release on Statutory Homelessness via the DCLG website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/homelessnessstatistics/publicationshomelessness/
	The number of households accepted as owed a main homelessness duty was 10,100 during the second quarter of 2010 (April to June).
	The latest information on local authorities' prevention and relief activities taking place outside the homelessness statutory framework can be found in the Department's Homelessness Prevention and Relief Statistical Release via the DCLG website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/homelessnessprevention200910
	In 2009-10 there were 50,700 cases of homelessness prevention or relief where the household was assisted to obtain alternative accommodation in the private rented sector and 200 cases where the household was assisted to find a low cost home ownership or other low cost market housing solution.

Housing Benefit

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of people likely to be affected by the increase in the age threshold for housing benefit; what estimate he has made of the likely associated costs of providing bed and breakfast accommodation for such people; and if he will make a statement.

Grant Shapps: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) assesses that the increase in the age threshold for the shared room rate announced in the spending review will affect around 88,000 claimants. DWP are working closely with other Departments to assess the wider impacts for affected claimants and are to publish a full impact assessment when legislation is laid before Parliament.
	An additional £130 million would be made available, via DWP, to local authorities to administer discretionary housing payments to provide extra support for households where needed. I have provided a further £10 million in this financial year to London local authorities to help support those families most at risk of homelessness.
	The Government are committed to tackling and preventing homelessness. I have established a new cross-Government working group on homelessness bringing together Ministers from eight Government Departments to address complex causes of homelessness and rough sleeping.
	Last week I announced that over the course of the spending review over £400 million of homelessness grant will be made available to local authorities and the voluntary and community sector to support the most vulnerable and tackle homelessness. We are also continuing to invest in Places of Change hostel improvement programme, ensuring that those coming off the streets get the support they need.

Local Enterprise Partnerships: Essex

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to make an announcement on the formation of local enterprise partnerships involving local authorities in Essex.

Bob Neill: We have today written to the leaders of Essex, Kent and East Sussex county councils inviting them to proceed with the establishment of their proposed Essex, Kent and East Sussex local enterprise partnership.
	Details of all the proposed local enterprise partnerships that have been given the go ahead to proceed are set out in the White Paper "Local Growth" which was laid before Parliament on 28 October 2010.

Local Government Finance

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will reverse his decision to  (a) remove ring-fencing from grants to local authorities and  (b) reduce the level of support grant by 26 per cent. in the next four years.

Bob Neill: No. The Coalition Government's spending review provides a fair though challenging settlement for local government. It reflects the clear priorities for the spending review as a whole: to bring down the massive budget deficit and drive economic growth, while protecting the interests of hardworking families and the most vulnerable in society.
	The review also provides significant new powers for local government. Councils have long argued that with more freedom and flexibility, they would be much better equipped to become more efficient and effective in delivering local public services. This settlement delivers that freedom and flexibility, as part of the new Government's decentralisation agenda.

Natural England: Planning Permission

Martin Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many planning applications Natural England has recommended for call-in since its establishment as a statutory consultee; and how many such applications have subsequently been called-in.

Bob Neill: holding answer 28 October 2010
	 There is no comprehensive record held of the number of call in requests made by Natural England or its predecessor, English Nature, since the statutory consultation duties were introduced in 1994. The limited data available identifies four occasions when a planning application has been called in following a request from Natural England.

Outdoor Advertising

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will bring forward proposals to increase the powers of local authorities to determine the controls to be imposed on outdoor advertising in their areas.

Bob Neill: The Government announced on 25 May 2010 that it would bring forward a Decentralisation and Localism Bill as part of the current parliamentary session. A list of the main elements of the Bill was published, which included planning elements. We have since confirmed on 11 October 2010 that planning enforcement measures will form part of the Bill. Further announcements on the details of these measures will be made in due course.

Silica: Quarrying

Sam Gyimah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what targets his Department has set for extraction of silica sand; and when he next plans to review the adequacy of such targets.

Bob Neill: The Government have no central target for the extraction of silica sand. Minerals planning authorities are expected to make provision for silica sand extraction where the resource is found, taking into account relevant national planning policy including Minerals Policy Statement 1 and Mineral Planning Guidance 15. I also refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 20 July,  Official Report, columns 220-221W.

Supporting People Programme: Oxfordshire

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he plans to take to increase participation in Supporting People programmes for young carers in Oxford West and Abingdon constituency.

Andrew Stunell: The Supporting People programme provides housing related support to a wide range of vulnerable clients to enable them to remain, or move towards, living independently. The design and provision of services is a matter for each local authority based on local needs and priorities.

Supporting People Programme: Wolverhampton

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department allocated to Wolverhampton City Council under the Supporting People per capita grant allocation in 2009-10.

Andrew Stunell: The Supporting People programme is not allocated on a per capita basis. Funding is allocated to top tier local authorities using the Supporting People Distribution Formula which takes account of population, level of deprivation, people at risk and other relevant needs data. The Supporting People allocation for Wolverhampton city council in 2009-10 using the Distribution Formula was £7,997,826.

Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  what discussions his Department has had with  (a) the Local Government Association and  (b) local authorities on the allocation of funds from the sale of Carbon Reduction Commitment allowances; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the effect on local authority services of the retention of central Government of revenue from sales of Carbon Reduction Commitment allowances;
	(3)  what consultation his Department has had on allocating revenue raised by the Carbon Reduction Commitment; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: The Government decided not to proceed with the recycling of CRC revenues proposed by the previous Administration in order to support the public finances and contribute to the spending plans set out in the spending review, which align the allocation of public resources with the Government's overall objectives as set out in the coalition agreement. The decision has the additional benefit of creating a clearer price signal in the Scheme which participants have asked for.
	The clearer and stronger price signal provided by this change should reduce uncertainty and administrative costs while maintaining energy efficiency measures among participants and the commensurate savings in energy bills.
	Next month, the Government will begin a consultation with CRC participants on what further steps can be taken to simplify the Scheme.

Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to ensure that local areas benefit from the sale of Carbon Reduction Commitment allowances; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: Revenue from the sale of CRC allowances will be used to support the public finances and contribute to the spending plans set out in the spending review, which align the allocation of public resources with the Government's overall objectives as set out in the Coalition Agreement.

Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  what his most recent estimate is of the gross revenue which will arise from the sale of allowances through the Carbon Reduction Commitment before the recycling of such monies to scheme participants in each of the next five years;
	(2)  what plans he has for the future of the carbon reduction commitment scheme.

Gregory Barker: Government have committed to keeping the operation of this scheme under active review with a particular eye to simplifying it and ensuring it properly incentivises those who do most to improve energy efficiency.
	In order to clarify the price signal to participants and to support the public finances, including spending on the environment, as part of the comprehensive spending review the Government announced that revenue from allowance sales will not be recycled back to participants. As part of the commitment to simplify the scheme and reduce the burden on businesses, we also announced that the first allowance sales for 2011-12 emissions will now take place in 2012 rather than 2011. A public dialogue and consultation with participants on how to further simplify the scheme will begin shortly. The UK Government and devolved Administrations will consider the results of that consultation process and, subject to the views expressed, make legislative proposals to amend the CRC ahead of the second phase.
	The spending review 2010 policy costings document:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/spend_sr2010_policycostings.htm
	sets out the impact on Government expenditure of not recycling the revenue to participants. A positive figure indicates a saving compared to previous plans, corresponding to the revenue expected to be generated from allowance sales each year.
	
		
			  Annually Managed Expenditure (AME) 
			   £ million 
			 2011-12 +716 
			 2012-13 +731 
			 2013-14 +995 
			 2014-15 +1,020 
		
	
	The decision to delay the first sale of allowances will affect the timing of these receipts.
	These estimates are based on significant assumptions, particularly with respect to the quantity of emissions covered by the scheme and the uptake of energy efficiency measures within the sector. We will not know the CRC emissions coverage accurately until participants have submitted their emissions data in July 2011.

Climate Change

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much funding he plans to allocate to international climate finance programmes in each year from 2010-11 to 2014-15.

Gregory Barker: The UK has committed to providing £1.5 billion in fast start finance over the period 2010-2012 for both mitigation and adaptation action. A total of £511 million has so far been approved for specific multilateral programmes (subject to demonstration of value for money and results)-DECC's contribution to this figure is £250 million.
	The spending review provides a total of £2.9 billion of international climate finance-called the International Climate Fund (ICF)-over the spending review period. The fund will be managed collectively by the relevant Departments. From DECC's budget, we will contribute £1 billion of the total. Ministers will decide on allocations from the ICF, including the specific programmes on which the ICF will be spent at a later stage.

Departmental Redundancy

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of redundancies arising from the spending reductions proposed in the Comprehensive Spending Review in respect of  (a) his Department,  (b) its non-departmental public bodies and  (c) other public bodies which are dependent on his Department for funding.

Gregory Barker: DECC has not made an estimate of the numbers of redundancies that may be required following the comprehensive spending review.
	Reviews are currently under way to decide how the settlement will be implemented across the DECC family.

Energy Efficiency

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of the performance of local authorities in rolling out local energy efficiency programmes; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: We expect and will encourage local authorities to develop stretching ambitions to tackle climate change.
	Local authorities are closely involved in the roll out of three main national energy efficiency programmes: the Local Carbon Frameworks pilot programme which challenges local authorities to work with individuals and other stakeholders on carbon reduction in their areas. There are nine pilot areas involving 30 local authorities.
	Secondly, local authorities have a key role in delivering the Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) which aims to drive energy efficiency improvements in low income areas. DECC is carrying out an evaluation of CESP which includes consideration of the role of local authorities in delivering the programme.
	Thirdly, the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) is an obligation placed on large energy suppliers to reduce carbon emissions from households. Most obligated CERT suppliers form partnerships with local authorities and others in helping deliver their schemes.
	We are working with the Local Government Group on its offer to DECC, which includes support for the roll-out of future energy efficiency programmes, including the Green Deal and smart meters programmes.

Energy: Housing

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what funding he plans to allocate to the Green Deal programme in each year of the Comprehensive Spending Review period.

Gregory Barker: Announcements about allocations to particular DECC programmes will be made in due course. Details of the Department's overall settlement are available on the DECC website:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/news/csr_hmt_releas/csr_hmt_releas.aspx
	The most significant funding for Green Deal will come through private sector investment.

Energy: Tariffs

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will include in the Energy Security and Green Economy Bill proposals for minimum standards of energy tariffs requiring energy companies to provide a customer with 12 weeks notice of  (a) a change in tariff and  (b) the end of a discount tariff; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: The Bill will include measures to improve energy efficiency and energy security, measures to enable low carbon generation and measures to clarify liabilities and responsibilities. We have no plans to include the very specific measures the hon. Member asks about.
	Ofgem already requires energy suppliers to give customers 30 working days' notice of when a contract is due to end, together with details of the deemed contract they will be moved to if they do not enter into a new contract or switch supplier.
	Ofgem has also recently consulted on requiring suppliers to give advance notice of price increases or other adverse changes to energy contracts and should be announcing the way forward shortly.
	In addition, Ofgem has recently introduced new over arching standards to prevent the selling of products that are inappropriate to a customer's needs or products that are unnecessarily complex or confusing.

EU Emissions Trading Scheme: Carbon

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the price of carbon under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme in each of the next five years.

Gregory Barker: The following prices were published in June 2010, with estimates of the short-term traded price of carbon to be used for Government policy appraisals available at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/what%20we%20do/a%20low%20carbon%20uk/carbon%20valuation/1_20100610131858_e_@@_carbonvalues.pdf
	
		
			   Traded 
			  £2009/tCO 2  Low  Central  High 
			 2010 7.3 14.1 17.8 
			 2011 7.4 14.3 18.1 
			 2012 7.5 14.5 18.3 
			 2013 7.6 14.7 18.6 
			 2014 7.7 14.9 18.9 
			 2015 7.9 15.1 19.2 
		
	
	These prices should not be seen as forecasts, rather they are estimates of the price given the current targets in the EU emissions trading scheme. Moving to a tighter target would result in higher prices.

Fuel Poverty

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 16 September 2010,  Official Report, column 1006, on fuel poverty, whether he plans to extend the energy rebate scheme to all low-income vulnerable households.

Gregory Barker: Energy suppliers will be required from April 2011 to provide greater help with the financial costs of energy bills to more of the most vulnerable fuel poor households, through Social Price Support-with total support of £250 million in 2011-12 rising to £310 million in 2014-15.
	We anticipate that data matching methods, similar to those which were used successfully in the Energy Rebate Scheme, will be used to target the assistance available through Social Price Support towards more of the most vulnerable households.
	We intend to consult on the detailed policy design, including eligibility and targeting methods, later this year.

Offshore Industry

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects to complete the further assessments on the offshore oil and gas leasing of blocks in  (a) Cardigan Bay and  (b) the Moray Firth.

Charles Hendry: An environmental assessment of the potential impact of oil and gas licensing in Cardigan Bay was carried out in 2007. The assessment concluded that oil and gas licensing should not proceed at that time. The applications for a Petroleum Licence received during the 24(th) Licensing Round for three blocks in Cardigan Bay have been withdrawn. No applications were received during the 25(th) and 26(th) Licensing Rounds for blocks in Cardigan Bay. There are no further assessments planned at this time.
	With regard to the Inner Moray Firth, a revised environmental assessment in relation to an application for a Petroleum Licence for block 17/3 was issued for public consultation from 15 July to 12 October 2010. Officials are carefully considering the comments received during the public consultation and therefore I am not yet in a position to reach a decision concerning licensing of this block.

Renewable Energy

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the proportion of the 15 per cent. of UK energy consumption to be achieved from renewable sources which will be attributable to wind power.

Charles Hendry: The UK's National Renewable Energy Action Plan, published in July 2010, estimated that onshore wind would contribute 34 TWh and offshore wind would contribute 44 TWh in 2020 towards a projected overall target of 238 TWh. Wind is therefore expected to contribute around a third of the target of 15% of final energy consumption.
	There are no targets for individual technologies, and the actual mix of technologies that makes up the UK's achievement of the 2020 target will depend on how different technologies respond to the financial incentives put in place, and how constraints such as planning, grid, and supply chain ease over time. It should also be noted that the overall target is defined as a proportion of energy demand, which is uncertain, and thus the exact level of renewable energy required in 2020 is uncertain too.

Warm Front Scheme

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of the expected effect of ending the Warm Front scheme on levels of fuel poverty in the next 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: Warm Front continues to provide a range of heating and insulation measures for vulnerable households. The new Energy Company Obligation, starting in late 2012, will run in parallel with the Green Deal programme. It is intended to focus particularly on households who cannot achieve financial savings without additional support, including the poorest and most vulnerable and those in hard to treat homes. We expect energy companies to play a greater role than they do through the current obligations in ensuring the poorest and most vulnerable can afford to heat their homes adequately. This includes offering a wider range of measures which improve energy performance, such as heating systems.
	Between 2007 and 2008 there was up to an estimated 80,000 households prevented from falling into fuel poverty and this can be attributed to energy efficiency improvements. We will continue to monitor the impact of such measures on the fuel poor.

Warm Front Scheme

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether owners of privately-rented accommodation are required to repay funds provided under the Warm Front scheme in circumstances in which the occupiers who were entitled to the assistance move out of that accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: The primary aim of the Warm Front Scheme is to improve the thermal efficiency of private sector homes where the occupants are vulnerable to fuel poverty. The scheme is designed in such a way that while the applicant must meet specific qualifying criteria to qualify for a grant, the grant itself is then associated to the property in which they reside.
	To encourage uptake of the grant and thereby assist as many qualifying households as possible, the owners of privately rented accommodation are not required to repay funds provided under the grant should a tenant who applied for the grant move out of the property.

Wind Power

James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the cost to the National Grid of paying wind farm operators to turn off their turbines during periods of excess generation.

Charles Hendry: National Grid have never needed to curtail wind output because supply on a national scale exceeded demand. National Grid have made payments to wind farm operators to curtail output on two occasions. The first was a test to ensure the technical capability was present and the second was due to constraints on the transmission network. The total cost incurred was approximately £53,000.

Arts Council of England: Information Officers

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many press officers Arts Council England employed in each year from 1996-97 to 2004-05; and at what cost.

Edward Vaizey: The Department does not collate this information centrally.
	Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Arts Council England to write to the hon. Member for Burnley.
	Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Arts: Finance

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number of arts organisations and projects likely to close as a result of reductions to the Arts Council budget announced as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Edward Vaizey: holding answer 28 October 2010
	The number and identity of organisations that receive funding, along with the level of that funding, is a matter for Arts Council England. As part of the Spending Review we have protected front line funding for the arts, limiting the reduction to the overall budget for arts organisations to 14.9% over four years.
	In 2009-10 the typical regularly funded arts organisation received 33% of its income from the Arts Council. Therefore the actual reduction in income seen by the typical arts organisation from the reductions in the Arts Council's budget will be less than 5% over four years. There will, of course, be variation between organisations.
	This does not take into account changes to other sources of income not controlled centrally.

Departmental Expenditure Limits

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much and what proportion of his Department's capital Departmental Expenditure Limit will be allocated to  (a) London and  (b) the North West in each year of the Comprehensive Spending Review period.

Hugh Robertson: The amount and proportion of capital departmental expenditure limit (CDEL) allocated to projects and arm's length bodies (ALBs) located in London and the north-west of England over the four financial years of the spending review period is set out in tables 1, 2 and 3.
	A proportion of the Department's CDEL is allocated to England or UK-wide grant schemes administered by our ALBs and to ALBs for the maintenance of multiple sites, including sites in London and/or the north-west. This is set out in tables 4 and 5. We are unable to estimate the proportion of the CDEL in tables 4 and 5 which will be allocated to London and the north-west because this will be for our ALBs to determine over the course of the spending review period. In the case of some grant schemes, our ALBs will allocate CDEL on the basis of successful applications.
	
		
			  Table 1: Major projects in London 
			   2011-12  2012-13  2013-14  2014-15 
			 Transform Tate Modern - 0.9 1.3 - 
			 Cutty Sark 3 - - - 
			 British Museum-North West Development 8.9 - - - 
			 Total 11.9 0.9 1.3 0 
			  
			 Proportion of DCMS CDEL 7.70% 0.50% 1.20% 0.00% 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Core capital for ALBs in London 
			   2011-12  2012-13  2013-14  2014-15 
			 British Museum 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.7 
			 Natural History Museum 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 
			 National Gallery 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.8 
			 National Maritime Museum 1.6 1.6 1.7 1.8 
			 National Portrait Gallery 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 
			 Victoria and Albert Museum 1.7 1.8 1.9 2 
			 Wallace Collection 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 
			 Sir John Soane's Museum 0 0 0 0 
			 Horniman Museum 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 
			 Geffrye Museum 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 
			 Government Art Collection 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 
			 Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 
			 UK Sport 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 
			 The Royal Parks Agency 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.9 
			 DCMS central expenditure 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 
			 Total 15.1 15.4 15.8 116.1 
			  
			 Proportion of DCMS CDEL 9.80% 8.90% 14.60% 14.60% 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Core capital for ALBs in the North West 
			   2011-12  2012-13  2013-14  2014-15 
			 National Museums Liverpool 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.5 
			 Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 
			 Total 1.6 1.6 1.7 1.8 
			  
			 Proportion of DCMS CDEL 1.00% 0.90% 1.60% 1.60% 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 4: Core capital for ALBs with multiple sites (including in London and/or the North West) 
			   2011-12  2012-13  2013-14  2014-15 
			 Tate Galleries 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 
			 English Heritage 2.1 2.2 2.3 4.9 
			 Arts Council England 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 
			 Sport England 1.6 1.6 1.7 1.8 
			 Royal Armouries 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 
			 Imperial War Museum 1.9 2 2.1 2.2 
			 National Museum of Science and Industry 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 
			 British Library 2.9 3 3.2 3.3 
			 MLA 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 
			 Visit Britain 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 
			 BFI 0.9 1 1 1 
			 Total 15.8 16.3 16.9 20 
			  
			 Proportion of DCMS CDEL 10.20% 9.40% 15.60% 18.20% 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 5: UK/England-wide grants 
			   2011-12  2012-13  2013-14 1.5  2014-15 1.5 
			 Wolfson Foundation 0.5 2   
			 Arts Council England 11.7 11.5 11.4 11.2 
			 Listed Places of Worship 1.3 1.3 1.4 1.4 
			 English Heritage 9.1 8.3 7.6 6.9 
			 National Heritage Memorial Fund 0 5 10 5 
			 Sport England 24 24 24 24 
			 Broadband funding 45 84 15 15 
			 Total 91.6 136.1 70.7 65 
			  
			 Proportion of DCMS CDEL 59.50% 78.20% 65.50% 59.10%

National Lottery: Armed Forces

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether members of the UK armed forces posted overseas but still resident in the UK for tax purposes are eligible to play the national lottery.

John Penrose: holding answer 26 October 2010
	The National Lottery Commission has advised that in order to be eligible to play the National Lottery, players must be resident at a United Kingdom or Isle of Man address, irrespective of their tax status. Residency in this instance is determined by checks carried out by Camelot, the National Lottery operator and, in practice, this means members of the armed forces can open an online interactive account and purchase games on the national lottery website, as long as they are in a country where it is legal to do so, and/or set up a direct debit account.
	However, the National Lottery Commission understands that in the majority of overseas jurisdictions, local laws forbid the purchase of other foreign lotteries, including the UK National Lottery. If tickets are purchased from a country where it illegal to do so, the tickets are invalid and Camelot is not able to pay any associated prizes.
	The NLC have therefore required Camelot to amend the rules for National Lottery games so that players will only be able to set up or amend their direct debit, or purchase games online when they are physically located in the UK and the Isle of Man. These new rules will apply from 18 December 2010. I welcome the NLC's intention to prevent people buying invalid tickets and inadvertently putting themselves at risk of prosecution in foreign jurisdictions.
	I shall be writing to the NLC to thank them for their action so far, but I shall also ask them to consider what can be done in countries where the purchase of UK lottery tickets is lawful to allow armed forces personnel (and others) to participate.

Olympic Games 2012: Tickets

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport for what sessions at the London 2012 Olympics the pay your age ticketing scheme will be available; and in respect of how many such sessions that scheme will be available.

Hugh Robertson: The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) is responsible for ticketing for London 2012. LOCOG announced pricing for Olympic tickets earlier this month, including a "Pay Your Age" scheme which will see around 1.3 million tickets available to those 16 and under to pay their age (and to those 60 or over to pay £16). Full details of the specific sessions in each sport: will be announced next year, but these special prices will be available across all 26 Olympic sports, and in 220 sessions-almost a third of all sessions. These will be mainly in the morning and day-time, which are most accessible for young people.
	The published list of ticket prices and sessions is available on LOCOG's website at:
	http://www.tickets.london2012.com/olyticketprice1.html
	LOCOG will announce Paralympic ticket pricing separately, next year.

S4C: Finance

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will guarantee the funding allocation to S4C under the new arrangements in the Spending Review period after 2015.

Edward Vaizey: The Spending Review provides S4C with the certainty of a four-year funding settlement. No decisions have been made about S4C's funding arrangements after 2014-15.

Access to Work Programme

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for the funding of his Department's Access to Work Scheme in the period to 2014-15; and what criteria he plans to use to determine eligibility of support from the Access to Work Scheme in the same period.

Chris Grayling: The Department has now received its budget settlement following the spending review. We are now in the process of setting programme budgets.
	Government will continue to review welfare to work programmes to ensure the support they provide remains appropriate, effective and value for money. We are committed to ensuring disabled people are given the right support they need to get a job and remain in employment.
	There are no plans at present to change the eligibility criteria for the Access to Work programme.

Cancer: Asbestos

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether compensation is available to the next of kin of those diagnosed with asbestos-induced lung cancer in circumstances in which that cancer cannot be confirmed as the sole cause of death.

Chris Grayling: We provide no fault compensation via the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) scheme to employed earners for disablement arising from an industrial accident, or from one of the diseases prescribed in regulations. The list of prescribed diseases includes primary carcinoma of the lung where there has been exposure to asbestos in certain defined activities.
	Additionally, the Pneumoconiosis etc (Workers Compensation) Act 1979 (the 1979 Act) provides a lump sum payment where a person is unable to pursue an employer for civil compensation for certain dust related diseases. One of the diseases is primary carcinoma of the lung when accompanied by asbestosis or diffuse pleural thickening.
	Where the sufferer has died, a claim for IIDB can be made on the deceased's behalf. Under the 1979 Act, a claim can be made only by a dependent, or on behalf of a dependent. For both IIDB and the 1979 Act schemes, a claim must be made within 12 months of the death of the sufferer. Benefit is payable provided that the deceased would have satisfied the conditions of entitlement during their life. The fact that primary carcinoma of the lung was not the only cause of death would not affect payment.

Carers: Finance

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the likely effects on his Department's provision of support for carers of his Department's settlement in the 2010 Spending Review; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: The spending review sets out measures to secure a sustainable foundation for the future of the welfare system, delivering fairness, better work incentives and value for the taxpayer. There are no specific measures in relation to carers.
	The Government recognise that the United Kingdom's six million carers play an indispensable role in looking after family members or friends who need support.
	We have set out our commitment to simplify the benefit system in order to improve work incentives and encourage responsibility and fairness. We are giving careful consideration to the needs of carers as we develop our detailed proposals for fundamental welfare reform, including any changes that may be necessary to take account of the introduction of universal credit.

Council Tax Benefits

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he made of the average council tax benefit payment to  (a) pensioner households,  (b) working households,  (c) households receiving jobseeker's allowances,  (d) households receiving income support and  (e) households receiving invalidity benefit or education support allowance in each of the last three years.

Steve Webb: The information requested on the average weekly council tax benefit paid to all households receiving incapacity benefit or employment support allowance is not available.
	Information is collected on the average weekly council tax benefit payment for those also in receipt of a passported benefit, and the available information on the number who are also receiving income-based jobseeker's allowance (JSA(IB)), income support (IS) and employment support allowance (income-based), in Great Britain, are shown in the table.
	However to provide the total number of JSA, incapacity benefit (IB), and employment support allowance (ESA) claimants receiving council tax benefit would require a significant exercise to merge the relevant data and would incur a disproportionate cost.
	The available information is shown in the table:
	
		
			  Council tax benefit recipients average weekly award by passported benefit and age, November 2008 to July 2010 
			 Passported b enefit   N on-passported (standard c laims) 
			   All CTB recipients  All passported  Income support  Jobseeker's allowance (income - based)  Employment  support allowance (income- based)  All aged 65 or over  All non-passported  Of which  in employment 
			  2008 
			 November 15.11 16.08 15.91 15.66 15.65 15.28 12.87 11.03 
			 December 15.10 16.08 15.92 15.72 15.86 15.27 12.84 10.94 
			  
			  2009 
			 January 15.10 16.09 15.92 15.77 15.97 15.27 12.84 10.93 
			 February 15.11 16.11 15.93 15.85 16.10 15.27 12.84 10.92 
			 March 15.26 16.24 16.05 16.04 16.33 15.40 13.04 11.31 
			 April 15.63 16.57 16.36 16.38 16.64 15.71 13.51 12.28 
			 May 15.62 16.58 16.37 16.40 16.67 15.70 13.46 12.11 
			 June 15.60 16.59 16.37 16.41 16.67 15.70 13.41 11.95 
			 July 15.60 16.59 16.38 16.41 16.67 15.70 13.37 11.82 
			 August 15.59 16.60 16.40 16.39 16.64 15.70 13.29 11.76 
			 September 15.58 16.59 16.39 16.36 16.59 15.69 13.27 11.72 
			 October 15.59 16.60 16.40 16.35 16.59 15.69 13.30 11.88 
			 November 15.77 16.61 16.41 16.35 16.61 15.75 13.85 13.61 
			 December 15.76 16.61 16.41 16.34 16.62 15.76 13.79 13.43 
			  
			  2010 
			 January 15.74 16.61 16.41 16.34 16.63 15.75 13.76 13.38 
			 February 15.74 16.61 16.41 16.33 16.64 15.75 13.74 13.28 
			 March 15.83 16.71 16.50 16.41 16.73 15.85 13.86 13.48 
			 April 16.02 16.89 16.67 16.58 16.92 16.05 14.07 13.74 
			 May 16.00 16.89 16.67 16.55 16.91 16.04 14.01 13.58 
			 June 15.97 16.88 16.66 16.53 16.91 16.04 13.95 13.44 
			 July 15.94 16.88 16.66 16.50 16.90 16.04 13.91 13.33 
			  Notes:  1. Age groups are based on the age on the count date (second Thursday in the month), of either: (a) the recipient if they are single, or (b) the elder of the recipient or partner if claiming as a couple.  2. Recipients are as at second Thursday of the month.  3. Average awards are shown as pounds per week and rounded to the nearest penny.  4. Passported status does not include recipients with unknown passported status.  5. Passported benefit as recorded on systems within the LA.  6. Average weekly amounts do not include second adult rebate cases.  7. SHBE is a monthly electronic scan of claimant level data direct from local authority computer systems. It replaces quarterly aggregate clerical returns. The data are available monthly from November 2008 and July 2010 is the latest available.  8. People claiming council tax benefit not in receipt of a passported benefit are recorded as being in employment, if their local authority has recorded employment income from either the main claimant, or partner of claimant (if applicable), in calculating the housing benefit award.  9. Data are published at http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/hb_ctb/hbctb_release_oct10.xls   Source:  Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE).

Council Tax Benefits: Scotland

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the effect on the revenue available to each Scottish local authority of the implementation of his decision to devolve direct control of council tax benefit in each year of the Comprehensive Spending Review period.

Steve Webb: The Government are working to develop the new arrangements including the detailed administrative implications for local authorities which have yet to be determined.

Housing Benefit

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 27 July 2010,  Official Report, column 1137W, when he plans to report the results of his Department's review of the way housing benefit for supported accommodation is assessed.

Steve Webb: As part of our review of the housing benefit rules for certain types of supported accommodation, we are currently working up options for change to provide a more transparent, consistent and fairer system of expenditure control.
	We have already been helped by a number of local authorities who assisted in a survey that we ran last year. Research has also been under way to provide the necessary evidence base for considering change, the research report is due to be published later in the autumn. Our stakeholder working group has also helped in formulating broad options for change.
	Although we do not have plans to report the results of this review, we will consult more widely on any proposed changes.

Public Expenditure

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the likely effect on his Department's expenditure on benefit payments of the change in the number of jobs in the public sector in the Comprehensive Spending Review period.

Chris Grayling: The Department's benefit expenditure forecasts published following the June Budget are based on the economic assumptions made in the Office for Budget Responsibility's June Budget forecast, as set out in table C5 of the June Budget document. Those economic assumptions reflect the decisions on overall public spending made at the June Budget.
	An update to those forecasts will be published following the Office for Budget Responsibility's publication of their autumn forecasts on 29 November.

Shared Housing

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the level of availability of shared room accommodation in each broad market retail area; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: Information on the number of dwellings available in shared accommodation in the private rented sector is not available. From next year, the local housing allowance rates will be set at the 30th percentile of rents in each broad rental market area, ensuring that 30 percent of properties, for each property size, would be affordable under the local housing allowance arrangements.

Social Rented Housing

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the proposed rents for social housing of 80 per cent. of market level will attract housing benefit in full.

Steve Webb: holding answer 28 October 2010
	The amount of a social housing tenant's rent that is eligible for help is usually based on their contractual rent. Social housing tenants do not come under local housing allowance arrangements.

Social Security Benefits: Disability

John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many families in Carlisle constituency are in receipt of  (a) incapacity benefit,  (b) attendance allowance and  (c) disability living allowance.

Chris Grayling: The information is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Claimants of attendance allowance, disability living allowance, and incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance, Carlisle parliamentary constituency, February 2010 
			   Number 
			 Incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance 3,560 
			 Disability living allowance (in payment) 5,080 
			 Attendance allowance (in payment) 2,870 
			  Notes:  1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Some additional disclosure control has also been applied.  2. Caseload show the number of people in receipt of DLA, AA and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital.  3. A claimant can be in receipt of more than one of these benefits and will therefore be counted for each benefit they receive.  4. Incapacity benefit was replaced by employment support allowance (ESA) from October 2008.  5. Figures do not include ESA.  6. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010.  7. A claimant can receive more than one of the above benefits and will therefore be counted for each of the benefits they receive.   Source:  DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people convicted of benefit fraud had two or more previous such convictions in each year since 2005.

Chris Grayling: Information on the number of people convicted of benefit fraud with two or more previous such convictions in 2005-06 and 2006-07 is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  People convicted of benefit fraud with two or more previous such convictions in the UK 
			   Number 
			 2005-06 4 
			 2006-07 5 
		
	
	Data is incomplete from 2007-08 onwards due to the roll-out of Fraud Referral and Intervention Management System (FRAIMS). Options for reintroducing collation of this data are kept under review subject to cost-effectiveness.

Social Security Benefits: Mental Illness

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many appeals against mental health benefit assessments were upheld in  (a) England and  (b) Gloucestershire in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: For appeals relating to the fit for work decision at the initial work capability assessment for employment and support allowance claims where the primary condition recorded at the start of the claim related to a mental and behavioural disorder, the numbers appealing and numbers where the appellant was successful are as follows:
	
		
			   Total appeals heard  Appellant successful 
			 England 22,390 9,490 
			 Gloucestershire 250 120 
		
	
	Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 and are based on appeals heard from August 2009 to July 2010, the latest data available.

Winter Fuel Payments

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people aged  (a) 60 to 64,  (b) 65 to 69,  (c) 70 to 79 and  (d) 80 years or over were in receipt of winter fuel allowance in (i) England and (ii) Easington constituency in each year since 2005.

Steve Webb: The information is in the following tables:
	
		
			  Winter fuel payment recipients-Great Britain and abroad: Time Series by age 
			  Area/age  2009-10  2008-09  2007-08  2006-07  2005-06 
			 England 10,810,140 10,592,900 10,345,380 10,028,780 9,864,190 
			 Under 60 14,220 10,090 9,930 9,750 - 
			 60 to 64 2,852,580 2,802,640 2,690,280 2,478,860 - 
			 65 to 69 2,265,860 2,183,790 2,133,960 2,110,630 - 
			 70 to 79 3,498,400 3,457,650 3,412,500 3,372,870 - 
			 80 and over 2,179,080 2,138,730 2,098,700 2,056,680 - 
		
	
	
		
			  Winter fuel payment recipients-Easington Constituency: Time Series by age 
			  Area/age  2009-10  2008-09  2007-08  2006-07  2005-06 
			 Easington parliamentary constituency 17,480 17,230 17,050 16,710 16,580 
			 Under 60 30 20 30 20 - 
			 60 to 64 4,550 4,500 4,330 4,120 - 
			 65 to 69 3,670 3,570 3,640 3,650 - 
			 70 to 79 6,210 6,190 6,170 6,140 - 
			 80 and over 3,020 2,950 2,890 2,790 - 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and therefore totals may not sum. 2. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2005. DWP are currently working to produce 2009-10 WFP figures for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010. 3. The 'under 60' category contains cases where an IS/JSA claimant receives a payment on behalf of their partner who is aged 60 or over. 4. The age breakdown for 2005-06 winter fuel payments shows a larger than expected number of recipients aged under 60 compared with subsequent years. The age breakdown has been withdrawn while the figures are investigated.  Source: DWP Information Directorate 100% data

Burma: Politics and Government

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on forcible relocations of indigenous farmers in the Huugawng valley, Northern Burma.

Jeremy Browne: The Government are aware of reports that people living in the Hukawng reserve, in Kachin state, Northern Burma, have had their homes destroyed, land confiscated and been forcibly relocated as a result of the regime's plans to transform the area into a centre for bio-fuel production. Our embassy in Rangoon is part of an in-country group that is monitoring developments and providing assistance to local communities to help document and highlight the situation.

Burma: Railways

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the construction of a railway link across the Salween River to eastern Shan State in Burma.

Jeremy Browne: The Government are aware of reports alleging that thousands of acres of farmland have been confiscated in this area and that farmers who complain to the regime have been threatened with imprisonment. Ethnic groups in Shan State are also reportedly concerned that the railway could be used by the regime to deploy military forces and equipment to the area. We are monitoring developments.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  which embassies have had their budgets reduced as a result of the removal of the overseas price mechanism; and by how much each such embassy's budget for  (a) 2008-09,  (b) 2009-10 and  (c) 2010-11 was reduced;
	(2)  whether spending reductions consequent on the removal of the overseas price mechanism have resulted in reductions in his Department's spending on counter-terrorism projects;
	(3)  whether the budget reductions required as a result of the removal of the overseas price mechanism resulted in the withdrawal, reduction or deferral of any of his Department's  (a) human rights,  (b) democracy promotion,  (c) counter-proliferation,  (d) counter-projects narcotics,  (e) counter-radicalisation and  (f) climate change projects;
	(4)  whether the spending reductions consequent on the removal of the overseas price mechanism resulted in the withdrawal or reduction of his Department's support to any of the Overseas Territories.

Alistair Burt: The Overseas Pricing Movements (OPM) Mechanism was abolished by the previous Government as part of the 2007 comprehensive spending review. OPM was originally put in place in order to ensure that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) overseas budget was maintained in real terms after foreign exchange rate and differential inflationary pressures overseas. The decision to remove OPM became effective in April 2008. As a result the FCO implemented a foreign currency forward purchase programme to help manage its foreign exchange needs.
	Since April 2008, our posts overseas have faced significant exchange rate and inflationary pressures. In 2008-09 the exchange and inflation rate pressure on our posts' budgets was £59.2 million. In 2009-10 the exchange and inflation rate pressures on our posts' budgets was £80 million and is estimated to be over £100 million in 2010-11. As budgets in the FCO are devolved to our network of over 250 posts, details of the specific impact that the loss of OPM has had on any project or specific area of spend could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Additional exchange rate pressures have had an impact on our international organisations subscriptions, peacekeeping assessed contributions and other budget areas spent in foreign currency from the UK. The total net impact on the Department's budget of adverse currency movements is estimated to be £77 million in 2008-09, £109 million in 2009-10 and £141 million in 2010-11.
	In order to manage the pressures on our overseas network from exchange rate movements since the ending of the OPM mechanism and retain a global footprint, the FCO has had to re-examine and reprioritise funds allocated to Programmes so they focus on those areas where the FCO itself can make the biggest difference and which offer the best possible value for money.
	As part of the 2010 spending round, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that a new Foreign Currency Mechanism would be introduced to enable the FCO to better manage exchange rate pressures and allow for better planning. This will allow the FCO to stabilise the value of our budget overseas so that our activity will no longer be dictated by the foreign exchange markets, as it has been since OPM was withdrawn.

Hajj Advisory Group

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultation his Department had with community leaders before taking the decision not to include a medical team within the British Hajj Delegation.

Jeremy Browne: The decision to discontinue the medical element of the British Hajj Delegation was taken by Ministers following a Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) review in March 2010. The review did not include consultations with community leaders but, rather, took an objective view of the situation on the ground. The review noted significant improvements to the medical facilities provided for Pilgrims by the Saudi authorities since the British Hajj Delegation first began 11 years ago. It also noted the declining demand for medical assistance for minor ailments from British Hajjis.
	The decision brings our support for British Hajjis more into line with the support we provide for British nationals at other events. The FCO does not provide medical services at any other event involving large numbers of British nationals.

Israel: Illegal Settlers

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aims and objectives his Department has set for its policy on Hezbollah.

Alistair Burt: We want to see Hezballah reject violence and play a constructive, democratic and peaceful role in Lebanese politics, in line with the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions, most notably UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls upon Hezballah to disarm.

Nuclear Disarmament

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Prime Minister's oral statement of 19 October 2010,  Official Report, columns 805-06, on the Strategic Defence and Security Review, in what forums he expects discussions of the UK's responsibilities for multilateral nuclear disarmament to take place.

Alistair Burt: The Government are committed to the long-term vision of a world without nuclear weapons and will press for multilateral progress as the primary means of achieving sustainable global nuclear disarmament.
	The UK continues to take part in regular discussions on multilateral nuclear disarmament in the following international fora: the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty preparatory committees and five-yearly review conferences; the UN's Disarmament Commission and First Committee; the preparatory commission for the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty Organisation; and the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva. The Nuclear Weapon States will also discuss nuclear disarmament at a meeting of the P5 in Paris in 2011-following a similar conference hosted by the UK in 2009.

Nuclear Weapons: Arms Control

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what position the Government plan to take in the forthcoming meeting of the United Nations First (Disarmament) Committee on the draft resolution on  (a) the Nuclear Weapons Convention (draft resolution L.50) and  (b) d-alerting (draft resolution L42).

Alistair Burt: Resolution votes at the UN's First Committee started in New York on 26 October 2010. The UK voted against the draft resolution on a Nuclear Weapons Convention (draft resolution L.26), together with 47 other countries including the US and all EU partners.
	On 27 October 2010, the UK voted against the draft resolution on 'de-alerting' (L.42), along with the US and France. We gave a statement at the time of voting at First Committee, which explained that we do not accept that further de-alerting of nuclear weapons by the UK is necessary to prevent accidental use: our nuclear weapons are subject to the most rigorous command and control systems, and the UK has already significantly reduced the operational status of our nuclear deterrent.

Peace Keeping Operations

Michael Ellis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to his Iranian and Syrian counterparts on  (a) the implementation of UN Resolution 1701 and  (b) weapons smuggling into Lebanon.

Alistair Burt: During my visit to Damascus in July, I made clear and firm representations to Foreign Minister Muallem in support of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. We are strongly committed to the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701: this is the best means of achieving stability in Lebanon. I also raised the issue of weapons smuggling in Lebanon and underlined concerns about reports of Syrian facilitation of arms to Hezbollah. My officials continue to raise these issues at the highest level during our regular dialogue with Syrian counterparts.
	We remain concerned that Iran is undermining regional peace and stability, including through weapons transfers. We call on Iran to play a constructive role in the region, including through restoring international confidence in its nuclear programme. We continue to make our views clear through interventions at the UN on UN Security Council Resolutions 1701 and 1559.

Sri Lanka: Human Rights

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in the government of Sri Lanka on the human rights situation in the country.

Alistair Burt: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I discussed our concerns with the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister on 19 and 20 October 2010 and stressed the need to improve the human rights situation in Sri Lanka.

Bus Services: Standards

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times a Traffic Commissioner has taken steps as a result of complaints regarding bus companies not fulfilling their advertised timetables since 2005; which companies were the subject of such complaints; and what fine was imposed by the Traffic Commissioner in each case where a penalty was imposed.

Michael Penning: holding answer 22 October 2010
	Between April 2005 and March 2010, a total of 166 operators of local bus services have attended public inquiries at which traffic commissioners have considered taking action for not running local services as registered, under the provisions of section 26 of the Transport Act 1985. Of these there were 100 incidences where an operator had penalties imposed under section 155 of the Transport Act 2000 and 38 incidences where operators had other restrictions placed upon their operator's licence. Traffic commissioners can also issue warning letters to operators without holding a public inquiry if they consider it appropriate,
	The Traffic Commissioners publish the results of all public inquiries on the DFT website available at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tpm/trafficcommissioners/publicationscheme/publications

Cycling Schemes

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Bikeability cycle training scheme.

Norman Baker: Bikeability cycle training is based on the National Standard for cycling training. The National Standard was developed by cycling organisations, safety bodies (including the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and Road Safety UK), and the Administrations of the United Kingdom. It represents years of combined experience in providing high-quality, safe, cycle training. Formal cycle training with an on-road element, like Bikeability, has been shown to improve the safety awareness of children.
	Recent research conducted by MORI asked parents and children about their experiences of Bikeability. Children who have taken part in the scheme feel safer and more confident when riding on the road (86%) and their parents feel more confident in allowing them to do so (87%). Children who have participated also feel more confident about riding their bike more often (87%). Bikeability training is rated very highly by both parents (97% say that they are very/quite satisfied with the training) and children (95% describe it as fairly/very good). I intend to publish this research in full in the near future.
	The Department is currently evaluating cycling measures undertaken in the designated cycling demonstration towns, including cycle training and other activities aimed at schools. This work will be published once complete.
	The value the Government place on Bikeability is demonstrated by our decision to continue support for the scheme after 2010-11.

Departmental Manpower

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the staffing levels of each agency sponsored by his Department in each year of the Comprehensive Spending Review period.

Norman Baker: holding answer 27 October 2010
	We are committed to meeting the targets for efficiencies set out in the comprehensive spending review and are currently working up detailed plans to deliver these, which includes staffing levels.

Departmental Sick Leave

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many days his Department has lost to staff sickness in each year since 1997; and what estimate he made of the cost to his Department of sickness absence in each such year.

Norman Baker: The central Department and its Executive agencies committed to a Cabinet Office methodology of calculating sickness absence in 2007. To recalculate earlier figures is available only at disproportionate cost.
	Our quarterly departmental returns to the Cabinet Office are summarised in the following table:
	
		
			  12-month period  Total number of sick days  AWDL per full-time equivalent post 
			 January 2007 to December 2007 206,608.0 11.0 
			 April 2007 to March 2008 204,384.0 10.8 
			 July 2007 to June 2008 191,879.0 9.9 
			 October 2007 to September 2008 180,057.0 9.3 
			 January 2008 to December 2008 171,613.0 8.9 
			 April 2008 to March 2009 159,168.0 8.3 
			 July 2008 to June 2009 152,579.0 8.1 
			 October 2008 to September 2009 153,933.0 8.1 
			 January 2009 to December 2009 153,992.0 8.1 
			 April 2009 to March 2010 155,799.0 8.2 
		
	
	An estimate of costs is available only at disproportionate cost as single periods of sickness exceeding six months are paid at a reduced rate.
	The Department report sickness absence figures to the Cabinet Office on a quarterly basis and update our results on the external website:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/about/staff/sickabsence

Departmental Training

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many external training courses were attended by staff of his Department in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each such course.

Norman Baker: The following table lists the number of external training courses attended by staff in the Department for Transport (DfT) between 1 September 2009 to 31 August 2010, and the cost where information is available:
	
		
			  Agency  Number of training courses  Total cost (£) 
			 Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency 194 114,557 
			 Government Car and Despatch Agency 1 4,644.65 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency (1)- 216,019 
			 Maritime & Coastguard Agency 416 630,083 
			 Driving Standards Agency 235 204,336 
			 (1 )Number of courses cannot be obtained without incurring disproportionate costs. 
		
	
	This information is not held centrally by the Central Department for Transport, and it is not possible to obtain this for the Highways Agency, and Vehicle and Operator Services Agency without incurring disproportionate costs. Whilst we are able to provide the overall cost of training courses for the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA), it is not possible to obtain information on the number of training courses without again incurring disproportionate costs. This is because the VCA relies on data supplied by its finance procurement system. Whilst this can identify expenditure on learning and development activities as a whole, it is not possible to differentiate between expenditure on courses and expenditure on other forms of learning and development activity. It is also not possible to accurately determine the number of courses delivered against a paid invoice. Their training budget is also used to meet the cost of ad-hoc training course expenses, professional registration, and exam fees, among other items.

East Coast Railway Line

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much he plans to allocate to improvements to the East Coast Main line; over what period; and if he will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: During Control Period 4, which runs from April 2009 to March 2014, Network Rail's delivery plan allocates spending of £582 million (in 2010-11 prices) for enhancements to the East Coast Main Line.

Great Western Railway: Finance

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what capital rail expenditure schemes his Department has planned for the Great Western Line during the Comprehensive Spending Review period.

Theresa Villiers: We expect that the following capital rail expenditure schemes will take place on the Great Western Main Line during the spending review period:
	Elements of the Crossrail surface works
	Reading station redevelopment
	Barry-Cardiff Queen Street corridor improvements
	Cotswold line re-doubling
	An announcement on the electrification of the Great Western Main Line will be made in due course in light of the Government's decision on the Intercity Express Programme.

High Speed Trains: Finance

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport under what budget headings the planned £750 million allocation to High Speed Two will be spent in the next spending review period.

Philip Hammond: A breakdown of budget allocations for high speed rail in the next spending review period is not yet available. Funding over this period will include expenditure under the following headings:
	delivery of a consultation on the Government's strategy for high speed rail and on a line of route from London to the west midlands;
	subject to the outcome of that consultation, preparation, including an environmental impact assessment, and delivery of a hybrid Bill seeking powers for a London to west midlands line, including any further refinement of the line of route;
	preparation of recommendations to Government in relation to lines to Leeds and Manchester; and
	provision for assistance for the owners of properties affected by blight.

Highways Agency: Finance

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects each of the Highways Agency major schemes for which funding was confirmed in the Comprehensive Spending Review to be completed.

Philip Hammond: holding answer 28 October 2010
	 I refer the hon. Member to my oral statement of 26 October 2010 , Official Report, columns 177-79, "Investment in Highways and Local Transport Schemes" which has been placed in the Library of the House. Specific completion dates will be confirmed by the Highways Agency's programme in due course.

Railways: Birmingham

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2010,  Official Report, columns 410-11W, on railway stations: Birmingham, whether there have been any changes to  (a) the budget for the Access to All Scheme at Northfield Station since May 2010 or  (b) the estimated costs of the scheme since it was first approved by Network Rail.

Norman Baker: The scope of the work for the Access for All scheme at Northfield Station has evolved to a design with two lifts, one serving each platform. The anticipated final cost for implementation of the programme remains at 2.531 million and this has not changed since May 2010.
	Network Rail is currently investigating cost-efficiency measures to deliver this scheme and we hope this will achieve some cost reductions.

Railways: Comprehensive Spending Review

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) new and  (b) cascaded carriages he expects to be delivered to rail routes in the North West over the period of the comprehensive spending review.

Theresa Villiers: holding answer 26 October 2010
	Deployment of carriages to the North West is linked to decisions on other, inter-dependent rail schemes.
	We are currently considering revised proposals from Agility Trains for the Intercity Express Programme. Announcements on the Thameslink programme and the High Level Output Specification rolling stock programme will be made in light of the Government's final decision on the Intercity Express Programme. Decisions on those schemes will then determine the availability of new and cascaded rolling stock for other parts of the network.

Railways: Construction

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the level of carbon dioxide emissions likely to be generated as a result of construction activity relating to the proposed High Speed Rail 2 project.

Philip Hammond: A detailed business case for High Speed Two-the proposed line between London and the west midlands-was published by HS2 Ltd in March 2010. This estimates that the main bulk construction materials will produce emissions for HS2 Ltd's recommended route of 1.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (MtCO2), within the range of +0.29 MtCO2 to +2.12 MtCO2.
	The range reflects the preliminary stage of the design for the scheme, and the fact that a number of assumptions had been made in terms of volumes of concrete, steel and ballast required to build the scheme. These volumes of construction materials would be subject to variation as the design for the scheme evolves.

Railways: East of England

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his estimate is of the percentage of rail fares for journeys commencing or terminating at stations within  (a) the East of England,  (b) Norfolk and  (c) Great Yarmouth constituency that are regulated.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport does not hold information about rail journeys at the level of detail requested.
	Across the overall network, over 60% of all rail journeys are made on tickets that are regulated and we expect that the same level would probably apply for journeys made in the East of England, Norfolk and the Great Yarmouth constituency.

Railways: Electricity Generation

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the electricity requirements are for High Speed 2; and  (a) from what sources and  (b) by what means he expects that electricity to be generated.

Philip Hammond: The 'Project Specification' annex to the 'HS2 Technical Appendix', published by HS2 Ltd in March 2010 alongside its main report, sets out an assumption of the provision of 25-0-25kV AC autotransformer fed overhead line equipment, with additional provisions for, for example, lighting along the line and portable maintenance equipment.
	Issues of electricity generation and supply are outwith the Department for Transport's remit. HS2 Ltd's report and supporting documents are available at:
	www.dft.gov.uk/highspeedrail
	HS2 Ltd has also published an 'HS2 Traction Energy Modelling' report, available at:
	www.hs2.org.uk/highspeed2-publications
	which found that a 200m train from Euston to Birmingham with two stops would consume 4700 kWh energy (after regenerative braking benefit of 437 kWh), and that the total annual energy consumption on the line would be 150 million kWh based on 0.048 kWh/seat-km and 3.2 billion seat-km (running 50 x 200m trains per day each way).

Railways: Noise

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the vibration levels likely to be produced by High Speed 2 trains.

Philip Hammond: HS2 Ltd included an initial assessment of vibration effects in its 'Appraisal of Sustainability: A Report for HS2, Non Technical Summary,' found at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pi/highspeedrail/hs2ltd/appraisalofsustainability/
	Further information will be provided in the full appraisal, which will be published to inform the forthcoming public consultation. It is HS2 Ltd's expectation that there will not be perceptible vibration above tunnelled sections.

Railways: Noise

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the assumptions in his Department's report on Appraisal of sustainability: new technical summary on High Speed (HS2), what estimate he has made of the number of dwellings likely to be affected by peak noise levels of  (a) max 73Db(a) and  (b) 66Db(a) as a HS2 train passes by.

Philip Hammond: The numbers of dwellings affected by noise at different levels would vary significantly as a result of the specific horizontal and vertical route alignment selected. Ministers have not yet made a decision on the exact route that they will recommend for consultation, so these figures cannot currently be finalised. However, estimates of the numbers of properties that may be affected by noise will be included in the full Appraisal of Sustainability which will be published to inform the forthcoming consultation. Further information on noise and a summary of the number of dwellings considered to be impacted by the route recommended by HS2 Ltd in their March report are reproduced in the explanatory note on noise which is available on the HS2 Ltd website at:
	www.hs2.org.uk

Railways: North West

Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for funding rail line improvements between Darwen and Manchester.

Theresa Villiers: The Government have no current plans to fund rail line improvements between Darwen and Manchester. However, the local authorities are undertaking studies with Network Rail to investigate the feasibility of introducing an all day half hourly service between Blackburn, Darwen and Manchester. It is anticipated that local authorities would fund both capital costs and the additional subsidy requirement arising from operating a more frequent service.

Railways: North West

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much of his Department's proposed expenditure on improvement of rail platforms he plans to allocate to  (a) the North West and  (b) Wirral.

Theresa Villiers: The spending review confirmed approval for a package of works totalling around £100 million to allow increased rail capacity in the north-west. The package includes track and signalling modifications, as well as platform lengthening and station improvements.
	Full details of how this spending is broken down are a matter for Network Rail, as it delivers the high-level outputs specified by Government.

Rolling Stock

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the outcomes of the Spending Review on his plans for the delivery of new rolling stock.

Theresa Villiers: The Spending Review announcement confirms the Government's joint commitment with the Mayor of London to delivering Crossrail in its entirety. The delivery of Crossrail will include the procurement of new rolling stock.
	Deployment of other new rolling stock is linked to decisions on several inter-dependent rail schemes. We are currently considering revised proposals from Agility Trains for the Intercity Express Programme, which would provide new intercity rolling stock. Announcements on the Thameslink programme and the High Level Output Specification rolling stock programme, which would provide new and cascaded rolling stock, will be made in light of the Government's final decision on the Intercity Express Programme.

Rolling Stock: North West

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what timetable has been set for purchasing new rolling stock for the North West.

Theresa Villiers: Deployment of carriages to the North West is linked to decisions on other, inter-dependent rail schemes. We are currently considering revised proposals from Agility Trains for the Intercity Express Programme. Announcements on the Thameslink programme and the HLOS rolling stock programme will be made in light of the Government's final decision on the Intercity Express Programme. Decisions on those schemes will then determine the availability of new and cascaded rolling stock for the North West.

Severn Crossing: Finance

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects all debts to Severn River Crossing plc to have been repaid.

Michael Penning: Severn River Crossing plc are expected to repay the subordinated debt owed to the Government at the end of the concession period. This is currently forecast for the first half of 2017.

Underground Railways: North East

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to implement his proposal for funding of a Tees Valley light rail metro system; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: holding answer 25 October 2010
	The Department for Transport has no plans to implement a Tees Valley light rail metro system. We are aware of a long-standing proposal from local authorities in the area for such a system, but no official funding bid has ever been received by the Department.
	Some early elements of the Tees Valley Metro project were prioritised by the North East in the previous Government's Regional Funding Allocations system. These schemes are not being considered for major scheme funding in the spending review period and we hope to advise promoters how best to proceed once we have made progress in developing a new funding framework for major schemes for the future. In the meantime, promoters may also seek alternative funding sources.
	On 20 October the Department announced that the agreed funding for the Tees Valley Bus Network would be accelerated so that the scheme can be delivered to a quicker timescale.

Aircraft Carriers

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what advice he received on the cost-effectiveness of  (a) cancelling and  (b) proceeding with the aircraft carrier construction programme; and if he will publish each submission he received indicating that cancellation would be the more expensive option.

Peter Luff: The Prime Minister received advice on the aircraft carrier construction programme as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review process. BAE Systems separately wrote to the Prime Minister setting out the company's assessment of costs. The Government's conclusions have been fully explained in the Strategic Defence and Security Review, which was published on 19 October.

Armed Forces: Higher Education

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the UK's armed forces he has estimated will take up places at universities in England in each of the next five years; at what cost to the Exchequer; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: In addition to formal attendance at universities either as an undergraduate or post graduate, we encourage the attainment of academic qualifications in a part-time capacity and have in place a variety of funding mechanisms ranging from sponsorship through to standard and enhanced learning credits. In addition many military courses attract accreditation and we work closely with academic institutions to facilitate the attainment of qualifications such as the MBA programme with the Open University.
	The Government are considering the recommendations made by Lord Browne in his Independent Review into Higher Education Funding and Student Finance and we have also published the findings of the Strategic Defence and Security Review. In the light of these separate pieces of work, the likely uptake of places and the cost of attendance at university for the next five years, in England or elsewhere, cannot be determined with accuracy.

Armed Forces: Training

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the average cost of training  (a) a Royal Marine commando and  (b) an Army infantry soldier in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Harvey: The training cost for a Royal Marine from recruitment to graduation from the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM) is in the region of £54,000. Other than local familiarisation training, a graduate from CTCRM is fully deployable.
	The training cost for an Infantry soldier from recruitment to graduation from the Infantry Training Centre is in the region of £31,000. However, a soldier is not deployable at that stage and will undertake further training to become operationally effective within their unit. These further costs are not collected centrally and will include an element of local training where the cost is not easily identifiable, for example one to one instruction by a Non-Commissioned Officer improving tactical knowledge of a unit's operational function.

Defence: Exports

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he plans to take to increase defence exports.

Gerald Howarth: This Government have made defence exports a priority. UKTI Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO), part of the Department for Business Innovation and Skills but working in close harmony with the MOD, is responsible for promoting British defence industry overseas. As the hon. Member knows only too well, defence exports make an important contribution to sustaining our defence industry. They uphold tens of thousands of highly skilled jobs and maintain prosperity for both the individuals in the industry and for taxpayers as well. In addition to this, defence exports tie into a broader diplomacy initiative by enhancing relationships with key strategic partners.
	This Government intend to increase defence exports through an active and innovative programme for defence diplomacy. We are working closely with industry to gain a clear understanding of the marketplace and to grasp the genuine potential to achieve exports. We are now considering export issues early in our acquisition process and aim to identify how early adjustments can be made to our own procurement programme to improve export prospects. We will utilise modular design opportunities to provide enhanced flexibility to both the company and customer by considering differing capability requirements.
	We continue to support industry through responsible exports consistent with maintaining the effectiveness of the UK's strategic export controls. The first duty of the Government is to safeguard our national security and support for our troops: effective strategic export controls are essential in fulfilling that commitment, and as such, we will retain an appropriate export licensing process.

Marchwood Military Port

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether his Department has had contact with Associated British Ports on the future of the Marchwood Sea Mounting Centre in the last 12 months; and if he will place in the Library a copy of any documents relating to any potential purchasers of the freehold of the site of that Centre;
	(2)  whether it is intended to continue to use the Marchwood Sea Mounting Centre for its present military purposes after any sale of the freehold by his Department;
	(3)  what assessment has been made of the practicability of transferring to other locations the present military functions of the Marchwood Sea Mounting Centre;
	(4)  whether the 17th Port and Maritime Regiment will continue to  (a) be based or  (b) have the use of facilities at the Marchwood Sea Mounting Centre; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  if he will take account of public opinion in the local community about the intended use of the Marchwood Sea Mounting Centre in considering proposals from potential future purchasers.

Peter Luff: Marchwood's continued suitability as the Ministry of Defence (MOD)'s Sea Mounting Centre has been tested by regular reviews, most recently in the work done to inform the Strategic Defence and Security Review and spending review announcements on 19 and 20 October. It remains our view that no other UK location offers the benefits available at Marchwood nor could deliver the Defence Sea Mounting Centre requirement as cost-effectively. This will continue to be tested throughout the sale process.
	The current assumption, which will be tested to deliver value for money, is that Marchwood would continue to deliver the Sea Mounting Centre services required by the MOD under private ownership. 17 Port and Maritime Regiment's continued requirement to use the accommodation and training facilities will be taken into account as planning for the sale of Marchwood develops. We will also consult with the relevant authorities and stakeholders as necessary.
	While an exploratory letter was received from Associated British Ports on the long-term operation of the Sea Mounting Centre in February 2010, it would not be appropriate to publish commercially confidential and sensitive information.

RAF Kinloss: Rescue Services

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce his decision on the future of the Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre at RAF Kinloss.

Nick Harvey: Work is now under way to consider the implications of decisions announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review for UK military bases, including the future of the Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre at RAF Kinloss.

Rescue Services: Private Finance Initiative

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce his decision on the future of the search and rescue private finance initiative contract suspended in June 2010.

Peter Luff: On 17 June 2010 the Chief Secretary to the Treasury announced a review of the approval of the Search and Rescue Helicopter project in the context of the wider pressures on public spending. As soon as this review is complete an announcement on the way forward will be made.

UAVs: Afghanistan

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what savings he expects to accrue to his Department as a result of withdrawing the Sentinel from service after completion of its operations in Afghanistan.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) made estimates of the cost savings accrued from measures in the Strategic Defence and Security Review for the purposes of formulating policy. Some of these have been published to help inform the public debate. Release of further detail may prejudice the MOD's negotiating position with its commercial suppliers. Furthermore, final savings figures will depend on detailed implementation, which will generally be subject to full consultation with all relevant parties, including the trades unions and the devolved Administrations, as well as the results of mandatory assessments on the impact that the measures will have on sustainability, equality and diversity, and health and safety. The MOD is therefore not prepared to release more detailed figures at this time.

Climate Change: Finance

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department plans to allocate to international climate finance programmes in each year from 2010-11 to 2014-15.

Stephen O'Brien: The UK has committed to providing £1.5 billion in Fast Start finance over the period 2010-12, to help the developing world carry out the urgent work needed to adapt to climate change, adopt clean technology and reduce emissions from deforestation. Of this, a total of £511 million has so far been approved for specific multilateral programmes (subject to demonstration of value for money and results).
	The Spending Review provides a total of £2.9 billion of UK international climate finance (ICF) over the spending review period. Of this total, the Department for International Development (DFID) will be responsible for approximately £1.8 billion. Further allocations will be informed by the ongoing Bilateral and Multilateral Aid Reviews, which are assessing how we can maximise the impact of UK aid and achieve value for money.

Institute for Fiscal Studies

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent on services provided by the Institute for Fiscal Studies in the last 24 months.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) has no record of any expenditure for services from the Institute of Fiscal Studies in the last 24 months.

Sri Lanka: Internally Displaced Persons

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in the government of Sri Lanka on the return to their homes of internally displaced people in that country.

Alan Duncan: Ministers have not had any discussions with the Sri Lankan Government regarding the return of internally displaced people to their homes. The British high commissioner in Colombo discusses this issue regularly with the Government of Sri Lanka. We encourage the authorities to allow those people who remain in camps for internally displaced people to return to their home areas as soon as possible.

Uganda

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to implement the recommendations of the 2002 United Nations Human Development report on Uganda; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen O'Brien: Before the 2006 Ugandan presidential elections the UK Government provided technical and financial support to the Uganda Electoral Commission through a multi-donor fund managed by the Danish International Development Agency.
	For the presidential elections scheduled for February 2011, the UK Government are participating in a "Deepening Democracy" programme with other development partners including Denmark, Norway, Ireland, the Netherlands and Sweden. Achievements of this joint donor programme so far include enhanced scrutiny of the Executive by Parliament, more transparent and open electoral processes, organisational strengthening of political parties, inter party dialogue, large scale engagement with the electoral processes by civil society, promotion of conflict mitigation and resolution strategies and enhancing media freedom.

Yemen

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what programmes his Department has to seek to prevent Yemen from becoming a failed state.

Alan Duncan: As part of the UK Government's co-ordinated approach to Yemen, the Department for International Development's (DFID's) programme supports the Government of Yemen to address causes of instability. Increasing stability helps prevent state failure. DFID's programmes provide direct support to the delivery of services for the poorest communities in Yemen; better education, improved access to water, health care, jobs, and justice and policing. DFID also provides humanitarian relief to those displaced by conflict.
	DFID, with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, takes a leading role in the Friends of Yemen process, which co-ordinates international support for Yemen. Through this process, we are driving efforts to develop new ways to support Yemeni development priorities that directly tackle instability. The process has secured agreement from the Government of Yemen to deliver a range of reforms which will address immediate causes of instability, including for example, implementing an IMF programme that will help stabilise the economy, and pursuing the National Dialogue to promote a political resolution of key grievances.

Broadband

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the proportion of the population who will have access to 2 megabytes broadband by the end of 2010.

Edward Vaizey: The Coalition Government have not made an estimate of the proportion of the population that will have access to a 2 Mbps service by the end of 2010. The Government have made universal broadband a high priority and has allocated funding of £530 million over the lifetime of this Parliament to stimulate private sector investment to deliver the best superfast broadband network in Europe by 2015.

Post Offices: Finance

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the funding for post offices announced by him on 27 October 2010 is additional to his Department's settlement in the 2010 Spending Review.

Edward Davey: The funding announced for the post office network by my right hon. Friend on 27 October is included in the Department's settlement in the 2010 spending review.

Dental Services

Kevin Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of dental  (a) practice advisers and  (b) consultants in dental public health required to commission dentistry for local populations;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with consultants in dental public health on the implications for them of his Department's White Paper on Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS;
	(3)  what role dental practice advisers will have in commissioning dentistry under the proposals in his Department's White Paper on Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS.

Simon Burns: The White Paper 'Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS' refers to creation of a NHS Commissioning Board and a new Public Health Service, to integrate and streamline existing health improvement. The NHS Commissioning Board will take on responsibility for commissioning national health service primary dental services, whilst the primary care trusts' (PCTs) responsibilities for local health improvement will transfer to local authorities.
	Local authorities will employ the Director of Public Health jointly appointed with the Public Health Service. To discharge their functions and responsibilities, both the Public Health Service in local authorities and dental service commissioners will need appropriate advice and input from dental public health consultants, dental practice advisers and their teams, working with local clinicians.
	There have been no direct discussions between Ministers and the United Kingdom consultants in dental public health group but departmental officials have met with the group on a regular basis. The group has also formally responded to the White Paper consultation and their views will be taken in to consideration.
	The 'Improving oral health and dental outcomes: Developing the dental public health workforce in England' report recommends a half time appointment for a consultant in dental public health and two sessions per week for a dental practice adviser as best practice within each organisation PCTs. In light of the White Paper proposals, we may need to reconsider estimates once the new commissioning arrangements become clear.

Depression: Autism

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether he has made a recent estimate of the proportion of parents being treated for depression whose children are on the autistic spectrum;
	(2)  if he will take steps to help parents on medication for depression and stress whose children are on the autistic spectrum to have respite care; and what estimate he has made of the provision of such care in 2011-12.

Paul Burstow: This Government recognise that breaks from caring is very important for carers in terms of the sort of support they want-carers have reiterated this in their response to our recent call for views on what our key priorities should be over the next four years. We are currently updating the previous government's Carers Strategy and this will be published before the end of the year and will remind health and social care services in England of the importance of breaks to all carers, including carers of children with autism.
	No formal estimate has been made specifically on the proportion of parents being treated for depression whose children are on the autistic spectrum. The Government are committed towards improving the lives of both individuals with autism and their families, and recognise the importance of providing more support to families and carers to achieve this goal.
	Additionally, more and more people across England are getting access to psychological therapies for the most common mental health problems, including depression. About 140 new psychological therapy services are now up and running around the country and by March 2011 60% of primary care trusts will have an improving access to psychological therapies service, meaning many more people suffering from depression will be seen in these services.

Health Services: West Sussex

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect on accountability of the NHS of his proposals for decision-making in local NHS services in Crawley and West Sussex.

Simon Burns: The White Paper, Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS, sets out our vision of a national health service where providers are autonomous and accountable to local commissioners and the patients they serve, rather than being subject to bureaucratic controls. As a result, the NHS will be more accountable for the results it achieves and patients and the public will have greater power to hold healthcare professionals and providers to account. The NHS will also have greater local democratic legitimacy through a new role for local authorities in promoting integration between local NHS services, social care and health improvement.

NHS: Local Government

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what functions of his Department have been transferred to local authorities since May 2010; what functions he plans to transfer to local authorities in the next 12 months; and what estimate he has made of the likely savings to his Department as a result of such transfers in each of the next three years.

Simon Burns: No functions of the Department have transferred to local authorities since May 2010. The White Paper Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS proposed a stronger role for local authorities in supporting joined up working across health and social care and primary care trusts (PCTs) current responsibilities for public health improvement would transfer to local authorities. The responses to consultations related to the white paper are currently being analysed, so no final decisions have yet been taken. The Government intend to bring detailed proposals before Parliament later this year in a Health Bill.

North West Strategic Health Authority: Redundancy

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the redundancy costs which will be incurred as a result of the decision to abolish  (a) the North West Strategic Health Authority and  (b) Warrington Primary Care Trust.

Simon Burns: The White Paper "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" set out proposals for fundamental changes to the way that the national health service is structured and run. The precise costs, at both national and local level, of any redundancies that will be incurred as a result of the decision to abolish the strategic health authorities and primary care trusts are not yet known, though efforts will be made to minimise the number and cost of redundancies.
	Four consultations relating to how the new organisations should be designed specifically covering "transparency on outcomes, liberating the NHS: local democratic legitimacy in health and commissioning for patients and regulating healthcare providers" have recently closed and once the results of these have been analysed, we will publish the costs of the new system in an impact assessment.

Strokes: Health Services

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve the availability of continuous non-invasive physiological monitoring for patients admitted to hospital following an acute stroke.

Simon Burns: Intensive physiological monitoring in the early phase of a stroke is important in identifying and supporting early treatment that can halt stroke progression and minimise the degree of brain damage. All acute stroke units should provide high-dependency care including physiological monitoring. The National Stroke Strategy and the National Institute for health and Clinical Excellence quality standard set out the elements of high quality care. It is for the national health service to ensure that these standards are met, including provision of access to good stroke care out of hours and at week ends. Support is available to implement improvements to acute care from the Stroke Improvement Programme and the stroke networks.

Apprentices: Equalities and Human Rights Commission

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many apprentices were in post at the Equalities and Human Rights Commission on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many such apprentices recruited in the last 12 months  (a) were previously apprentices,  (b) had been long-term unemployed and  (c) are graduates.

Lynne Featherstone: holding answer 28 October 2010
	The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is an independent body. The following is based on information it has provided.
	Three apprentices were in post at the EHRC at 27 October 2010.
	Of the apprentices recruited in the last 12 months:
	 (a) None were previously apprentices;
	 (b) None were long-term unemployed; and
	 (c) None were graduates.

Oil: Prices

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  when he expects to publish his response to the Office for Budget Responsibility's report on the effect of oil price fluctuations on the public finances;
	(2)  what his policy is on a fair fuel stabiliser.

Justine Greening: In the June Budget the Government asked the Office of Budget Responsibility to undertake an assessment of the effect of oil price fluctuations on the public finances. The Office of Budget Responsibility published its report on 14 September.
	The Government are considering the Office of Budget Responsibility's assessment and will report back as part of the usual Budget process.

Public Sector: Richmond Upon Thames

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect on the number of public sector jobs in Richmond Park constituency of the reductions in departmental spending announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Danny Alexander: The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) released, as part of its Budget forecasts on 22 June 2010, projections for whole economy
	employment to 2015-16.
	Further information on its employment forecast, including projections for general Government employment, was released on 30 June 2010 in its document "OBR forecast: Employment", which can be found on the following webpage:
	http://budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/publications.html
	A revised forecast will be released on 29tNovember 2010.
	The OBR has not published forecasts on a sub-national level.